Sleep apnea decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to insufficient evidence. The claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for a separate rating for insomnia is denied because it encompasses the same symptomatology as his service-connected psychiatric disorder. The Board also remanded the case to determine if OSA is secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU and do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

Service connection for OSA and hypertension has been granted.,The issues of service connection for a lung disorder and stomach disorder are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for sleep apnea is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection granted for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks and chronic headaches. The Board finds in favor of the Veteran due to positive evidence outweighing negative evidence.,Right wrist disability service connection granted based on continuity of symptomatology since service and post-service treatment records supporting this claim.,Bilateral knee conditions and low back disability service connection remanded as additional evidence is needed.,Bilateral foot disability service connection granted based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has granted a TDIU rating based on the Veteran's combination of service-connected disabilities from March 19, 2015 to July 19, 2018. The effective date for this award is March 19, 2015.

The appeal is granted as the left ankle disability was improperly severed from service connection, and CFS is granted. Other issues are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records. The Veteran was previously assigned a rating of 10 percent for his service-connected back condition, but now seeks higher ratings.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is related to military service, including exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is related to her military service.,The Veteran's carpal tunnel in the bilateral hands is related to her military service.,The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder is related to her military service.

The Veteran's pension benefits were adjusted based on his income from Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits, and he is no longer entitled to a higher rate of nonservice-connected disability pension benefits.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis was not incurred in or caused by his military service. The VA examiner concluded that obstructive sleep apnea is an anatomical pathology unrelated to exposure events.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability has been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.,Service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome with subacromial bursitis and obstructive sleep apnea have been remanded due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased disability ratings and service connection are denied.,The Veteran is not entitled to an earlier effective date prior to November 22, 2015, for the grant of increased disability ratings for his lumbosacral strain and residuals of a right second metacarpal fracture.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is also denied as there was no factual ascertainable increase in disability prior to November 22, 2015.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of sleep apnea, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has withdrawn the claims for increased ratings for PTSD, TBI, and right shoulder disability. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea (OSA) is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence of a current diagnosis.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased disability ratings in several cases, including sleep apnea, bilateral plantar fasciitis, tinnitus, hemorrhoids, major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and headaches. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for shoulder impingement with rotator cuff tendonitis, right and left shoulders, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the knees, and lumbosacral strain. The Veteran's bilateral shin splints claim is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, including verification of his reported stressor event and herbicide agent exposure.

The Board denied an increased disability rating in excess of 50 percent for OSA with COPD, finding that the appellant's condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating based on specific pulmonary function test results and clinical findings.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding service connection for sleep apnea. Additional development is required, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.