Sleep apnea decisions — 2025

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and increased rating for various disabilities, all starting from January 1, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, which includes PTSD, moderate recurrent major depression, anxiety, and mental-health-related insomnia disorder. The appeals of the deferrals for PTSD, dizziness, and sleep apnea were dismissed, while the claims for dizziness and sleep apnea were remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for migraines and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on the evidence of record.

The Board granted service connection for obesity, as aggravated by service-connected PTSD and right lower extremity disabilities, and OSA, as secondary to the Veteran's obesity.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, as it was filed more than one year after the final rating decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) because there was no current diagnosis of OSA during or just prior to the appeal period.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for sleep apnea to obtain a more adequate medical opinion, as the current VA opinion is deemed inadequate.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for sleep apnea and denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disability, diagnosed as lumbosacral strain, finding that it was aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral knee pain, neck pain, right shoulder pain, and osteoarthritis of the whole body as there was no evidence to support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for both the lumbosacral strain and right knee strain, as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.

The Board remands the issue of service connection for a recurrent sleep disability to include obstructive sleep apnea due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on the Veteran's reported symptoms during and after active duty, as well as lay statements from a fellow soldier.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, a total disability based upon individual unemployability (TDIU), and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) were granted.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) but denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, and the reduction in the rating of lumbosacral strain with IVDS from 40 percent to 20 percent was not proper; the 40 percent rating is restored effective September 18, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and dismissed the claims for an earlier effective date and a left lower extremity sciatic nerve disability.

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD with AUD, effective June 4, 2020, and also granted service connection for GERD, hypertension (HT), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.