Sleep apnea decisions — 2025

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected knees. The effective date for the grants of service connection and initial ratings are set at December 7, 2018, with some ratings increased.

The Board granted service connection for left hand neuropathy and OSA as secondary conditions, but denied an increased rating prior to September 16, 2021, and granted a 100 percent evaluation from that date.

The Board granted service connection for respiratory insufficiency, cardiac arrhythmia, fatigue, and a left elbow condition, while denying service connection for other specified depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, and an initial compensable disability rating for epidydimal cyst. The Board also denied an increased rating for lumbosacral strain.

The Board granted service connection for a left knee disability and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to the Veteran's service-connected chronic sinusitis, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for sinus, headache, right shoulder, left knee, and obstructive sleep apnea disabilities as the evidence did not support a finding of current diagnoses or a link to service.

The Board granted an effective date of September 3, 2019 for the service connection claims for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and IVDS, residuals of left foot surgery, scar of the left foot, painful scar of the left foot, tinnitus, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and denied increased evaluations for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and migraines, but granted a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD beginning December 12, 2017, and a 50 percent evaluation for migraines beginning December 12, 2017.

The Board granted service connection for lower back disability, neck disability (cervicalgia), and persistent depressive disorder with cannabis use disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and sleep apnea, as well as the claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent disabling for bilateral hearing loss, were dismissed due to untimely filing of the VA Form 10182.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of sleep apnea due to an inadequate VA examination and the need for a more detailed medical opinion.

The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a 30 percent disability rating for bilateral pes planus. The claims for increased ratings for right hip degenerative arthritis and femoral acetabular impingement syndrome, lumbosacral strain, and service connection for radiculopathy were denied.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for right knee scars and remanded several other claims, including service connection for hypertension, left hip condition, right hip condition, sleep apnea, and a TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding it to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence does not support a link between his obesity and his musculoskeletal conditions.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea due to a duty to assist error, requiring additional medical opinions.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for sleep apnea to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error of failing to obtain an adequate VA examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea as the probative evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current sleep apnea had onset during active service or was otherwise related to active service.

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

The appeal was dismissed because the VA Form 10182 for service connection claims was not timely filed.