Sleep apnea decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in accordance with previous remand directives are inadequate and requires further examination to determine service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The Board has remanded the claims for Parkinson's Disease, sleep apnea, hypertension, and a liver condition due to potential exposure to toxins during service. The VA will conduct further development including verifying in-service toxin exposures and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and missing service records. The Veteran's claim for service connection is now before the Board again.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted.,Effective May 31, 2017, the Veteran is now entitled to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, leaving only the evaluation of sleep apnea. The appeal for PTSD was withdrawn separately.

The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent. Other conditions have either been denied or are not at issue.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Board has found that the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to service exposure, but additional development is needed due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. A new VA examination is required to address the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and whether it is proximately due to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, sciatic radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and sciatic radiculopathy of the left lower extremity have all been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee strain with arthritis. The claim for female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Board found that the AOJ did not properly follow procedural requirements for severing service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The Veteran's condition was restored as service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a surgical head scar due to a suboccipital craniotomy for tumor resection of right cerebellar hemangioblastoma and obstructive sleep apnea are denied as there is no competent evidence in favor of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the cases for further development, including obtaining medical opinions on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's prostate disability and sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions render him in need of aid and attendance, allowing for SMC at the (l) level based on his condition.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors, including the need for updated SSA/SSDI records and employment/income information.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is rated at 10 percent prior to November 8, 2021 and at 20 percent since then.,The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy meets the criteria for a rating of 20 percent.

The Board has determined that there were pre-decisional duty to assist errors and the case is remanded for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the VA examiners' opinions regarding the relationship between OSA and service, as well as any service-connected disabilities causing or aggravating OSA, are inadequate. Therefore, a new medical opinion is needed to address these issues.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to myocardial infarction with valvular heart disease, as there is an inadequate medical opinion and additional opinions are needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a mental health condition and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of an in-service event, injury, or disease related to these conditions.