Sleep apnea decisions — 2024

The Board granted service connection for hypertension and assigned a 60 percent initial rating effective August 7, 2015, for GERD with gastritis. The other claims were denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his exposure to carbon tetrachloride and ionizing radiation during service. Additional development is needed, including obtaining medical opinions on whether these exposures caused or contributed to the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities due to new evidence indicating a possible service connection based on exposure to toxic environments during service. The Veteran's testimony at her hearing suggests that she experienced symptoms prior to her deployment, which may be relevant to establishing service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his back and knee disabilities are remanded due to the need for clarification on whether he has had 'functional ankylosis' in either his back or left knee disabilities throughout the appeal period.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a sleep disorder, to include obstructive sleep apnea, as the January 2024 VA opinion did not adequately address the Veteran's lay statements regarding his sleep issues during and after service.

The Board remands the issues of an initial compensable rating for migraines and an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea and asthma due to insufficient development of the record.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to his service-connected disabilities of degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine with spinal fusion and bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, is denied because the evidence does not support a finding that obesity (an intermediate step) was caused or aggravated by these service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and GERD has been granted. The Veteran is now entitled to a 30 percent rating for GERD.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea on a direct basis is established as the evidence is at least evenly balanced regarding its onset in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, right knee strain, and cervical strain due to inadequate medical opinions. The VA will provide further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected GERD and awarded a 30 percent rating for GERD, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected gastritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, left lower extremity restless leg syndrome, and right lower extremity restless leg syndrome due to inadequate medical opinions. The VA will obtain new opinions from appropriate physicians regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents under the PACT Act. The issues of sleep apnea and PTSD are remanded as they require further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's OSA as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, finding that the current OSA disability is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by the PTSD.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a right upper extremity nerve condition (claimed as carpal tunnel syndrome) and obstructive sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be caused by his service-connected PTSD, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a VA examination addressing the service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The Veteran contends that his OSA is related to his septoplasty during military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea is not secondary to his service-connected Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it did not originate in service and is not otherwise etiologically related to service or a service-connected disability.