Sleep apnea decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, OSA, and an eye disability due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran's hypertension claim is related to his exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, but the VA examination must provide a rationale regarding whether it is at least as likely as not that any diagnosed hypertension had its onset during active service or is related to any in-service disease or event.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back injury, heart problem, and bilateral leg conditions have been denied as new and relevant evidence has not been submitted to warrant readjudication.,Service connection for memory loss and brain lesions is denied due to the lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The Veteran's PTSD and persistent depressive disorder are currently rated at 70 percent, but do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is currently rated at 50 percent, which does not warrant an increased rating as it does not meet the criteria for chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale.,The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for a new VA opinion to determine if the Veteran's current back and cervical spine disabilities are related to service, specifically whether they are due to aggravation of pre-existing conditions or onset during service.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain a medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, including whether it is related to service or aggravated by PTSD. The claim will also address whether the Veteran's sleep apnea has a fully understood pathophysiology.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to major depressive disorder, with obesity serving as an intermediary step.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's OSA is secondary to his service-connected Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood. The VA needs to provide a new opinion addressing causation and aggravation.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's OSA, specifically addressing his reports of loud snoring and chronic insomnia during service in Korea.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected mental health and musculoskeletal disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's service-connected Other Specified Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder due to obesity resulting from his psychiatric condition.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 3, 2019 for the grant of service connection for lumbosacral strain, bilateral knee strains, and tinnitus. The Veteran's intent to file was received by VA on that date.

The Veteran's service-connected right iliosacral joint syndrome, impairment of thigh, was granted a 20 percent disability rating effective from November 20, 2020.

The Veteran's cervical spine and bilateral arm radiculopathy disabilities are remanded for further examination to determine if they are secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's sleep apnea is also remanded for a determination on whether it is secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The Board had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the appeal as it pertained to conditions and issues related to service connection.

The Board has determined that there were errors in the VA's duty to assist and remanded both issues of service connection for back disability and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities, as well as obtain relevant private medical records.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The Board had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the appeal as it pertained to conditions and issues related to service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his sleep apnea, with obesity considered as an intermediate step.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, hemorrhoids, allergic rhinitis, cervicalgia, and headaches. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible statements of in-service symptoms and VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is being remanded for further examination to determine its etiology and whether it is related to service or his service-connected vocal cord nodules.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an effective date prior to June 19, 2017, for a temporary evaluation of 100 percent based on surgical or other treatment necessitating convalescence for a lumbar spine disability. The issue was not properly before the Board due to procedural issues.