Sleep apnea decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for nonspecific reaction to tuberculin skin test without active tuberculosis claimed as an unspecified respiratory disability was denied due to lack of current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claims for left leg radiculopathy and a left hip disability claimed as dislocation of the pelvic bone were denied because there is no evidence of such conditions during service or at any time since.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's OSA is secondary to his service-connected residuals of head trauma and headaches, granting service connection for this condition. However, the Board has also remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's TBI and associated mental health symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) has been readjudicated and is granted, as new evidence submitted since the June 2017 rating decision supports a relationship between OSA symptoms and active duty.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset and relation to military service.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to a pre-decisional error in obtaining an adequate VA examination and because of the Veteran's presumed exposure to Gulf War activities. The case is now remanded for further development, including a TERA and Gulf War examination.

The Board has granted service connection for restless leg syndrome but remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to a lack of a VA examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee osteoarthritis with obesity being an intermediate step.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, history of heart murmur, and sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation of her lumbosacral strain and service connection for radiculopathy are remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Board finds duty to assist errors in the pre-decisional evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not precluded substantially gainful employment, and he has not been in receipt of a total rating or identified a permanent and total disability. The Board denied the TDIU and permanent and total evaluation claims as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone were sufficient to produce unemployability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it began during his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, urinary incontinence, hepatitis C, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to new and relevant evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are now pending before the RO.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) aggravates his Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The VA examiner did not provide an opinion on this matter, and thus a new examination is required.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether the sleep apnea is etiologically related to his PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for OSA as secondary to PTSD and/or TMJ, and denied service connection for hypertension as secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's representative has withdrawn all appeals, including those for service connection and readjudication of various disabilities. As a result, the Board is dismissing these appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) began during his active military service and is therefore granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding its relationship to service, including toxic exposure risk activity (TERA).

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, leading to the dismissal of the case.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine, spinal fusion and spinal stenosis (claimed as back injury) and hernia. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to military service.