Sleep apnea decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and clarification of medical findings related to the Veteran's neck, low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability as secondary to the appellant's service-connected bilateral foot condition, left shoulder strain, and now-granted lumbar spine disability.,The decision also grants service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a result, the claim for service connection for OSA as secondary to PTSD is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA and IBS, both determined to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with nightmare disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, and TBI.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for an additional medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, which may be related to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and insomnia disorder due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The AOJ is required to obtain an adequate examination and opinion regarding these conditions, including whether they are aggravated by a service-connected disability or obesity.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of information regarding the Veteran's dates of service and an insufficient nexus opinion. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is being reviewed again for proper medical evaluation.

The Veteran's son is not eligible for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits because he was already 26 years old at the time his father received a disability rating of 100 percent, which established basic eligibility to Chapter 35 DEA benefits. The appellant's 26th birthday occurred before the effective date of the Veteran's permanent and total service-connected disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and degenerative disc disease and arthritis of the lumbar spine due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to consider all relevant evidence. The Veteran's PTSD, back disability, bilateral foot disability, cervical strain, left knee condition, right parapatella tendonitis and patellar tendonosis (claimed as knee condition), left shoulder tenosynovitis, and sleep apnea are being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since May 25, 2023. The effective date for the grant of Basic Eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance is set at May 5, 2021.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, sleep apnea, a stroke and residual symptoms, a right elbow disorder, and lower extremity neuropathy must be remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for sleep apnea and migraines were denied. The effective dates of service connection for sleep apnea and migraines have been granted.

Your appeal for service connection for sleep apnea has been dismissed because you filed a supplemental claim seeking AOJ review of the same issue, which is not allowed while the initial review is pending.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected chronic maxillary sinusitis, with obesity acting as an intermediate step.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not commit a pre-decisional duty to assist error and is therefore remanding the case for further development, including obtaining an examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) disability.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), laryngeal cancer, and left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing a direct relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia and OSA are granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various hip disabilities, leg pain, knee disabilities, and lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current hip or leg disabilities at the time of the appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA, secondary to service-connected insomnia on a causation basis with obesity as an intermediate step.