Sleep apnea decisions — 2025

The Board granted an effective date of July 18, 2018, for the award of service connection for a psychiatric disability and a 30 percent rating for GERD, while denying service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome, remanding claims for service connection for right and left ankle disorders and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus type II due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as the RO did not provide the Veteran with VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding no evidence linking the condition to the Veteran's active duty service or herbicide exposure.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and denied increased ratings, except for a 70% rating for major depressive disorder (MDD) from November 21, 2012, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to MDD from the same date. The Board also granted special monthly compensation at the housebound rate from June 10, 2014.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for a headache disability, sinus disability, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) were remanded.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and his active duty service.

The Board granted the restoration of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits, effective March 1, 2021. The increased rating for dysthymia was denied.

The appellant is eligible for the direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits from a February 2024 rating decision that awarded service connection for sleep disturbance (also claimed as sleep apnea).

The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, sleep apnea syndrome, and mycosis fungoides (also claimed as skin cancer) to ensure the VA has met a duty to assist the Veteran.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his active duty and have been continuous since then.

The Veteran was granted a 50 percent rating for headaches associated with post-concussive syndrome from January 1, 2004, to February 7, 2025, and a 40 percent rating for lumbosacral spine strain from March 1, 2018, to May 21, 2023.

The Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due solely to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and special monthly compensation (SMC) at the statutory housebound rate.

The Board denied service connection for gout and erectile dysfunction, remanded claims for service connection for Hepatitis C, hypertension, liver cancer, diabetes mellitus, cirrhosis of the liver, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, headaches, memory loss, and the Veteran's cause of death, and referred claims for service connection for headaches, memory loss, and the Veteran's cause of death to the RO.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and asthma as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, allergic rhinitis, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, and sleep apnea.

The Board granted the application to readjudicate the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on new and relevant evidence.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine condition, right knee condition, left knee condition, and tinnitus. The OSA claim was remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The appeal seeking service connection for various conditions was dismissed due to a procedural defect in the docketing of the appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including OSA and hypertension, due to inadequate medical opinions.