Sleep apnea decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of an adequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and IBS. The VA examiner provided a diagnosis but no nexus opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not related to his active-duty service. The Board also found no indication that it has been caused or aggravated by service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of an adequate nexus opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea. The VA is required to schedule the Veteran for a new examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected disabilities of chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. The Veteran argues for a direct relationship, while the VA examiner found no such link.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions and evaluations, particularly regarding a sleep study for sleep apnea. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder is also being considered as potentially related to his sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for an additional VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, specifically whether it is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected feet, back, and migraines.

The Board has remanded all but one of the claims for additional development, particularly to determine whether the Veteran served in Vietnam and was exposed to tactical herbicide agents. The dental disability claim is denied as there is no indication or assertion that tactical herbicide agents resulted in a dental disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error, requiring further examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to her service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable ratings for migraine headaches, TBI with PTSD, and right leg scar have been dismissed. The appeal for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain (back disability) is remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea may be related to service, but more evidence is needed for a definitive determination.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for OSA is granted, with the condition that he requires the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. The Veteran was previously rated at a 30 percent evaluation due to asthma and sleep apnea, but now receives a separate 50 percent evaluation for OSA.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The decision found that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure, while his obstructive sleep apnea did not have onset during service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, should be remanded due to a lack of an opinion addressing this theory of entitlement and insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an increased rating for PTSD due to a duty-to-assist error. Additional records are needed, including VA treatment records from the Veteran's return home in approximately 1991 and therapy records from the outreach center where he received psychotherapy.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's appeals for vertigo and obstructive sleep apnea have been dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, specifically addressing whether it is caused by service or aggravated by his service-connected allergic rhinitis.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim for service connection for a right foot disorder. The claims of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and left foot disorder are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is caused by weight gain from his service-connected musculoskeletal disorders.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of his sleep apnea, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected depression, has been remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The Board found that the evidence reasonably raised the theory of secondary service connection via obesity as an intermediate step.