Sleep apnea decisions — 2025

The Board granted reversal or revision of the April 2020 rating decision on the basis of CUE and assigned an effective date of June 20, 2008, for the award of service connection for OSA.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of, or treatment for, the condition.

The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent rating for lumbosacral strain and sciatic radiculopathy, effective March 8, 2023, but remanded earlier effective date claims.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability and bilateral onychomycosis, as secondary to bilateral tinea pedis, while denying or remanding the other issues.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to obtain a medical opinion addressing the etiology of OSA, including whether it is secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied an evaluation greater than 30 percent for PTSD prior to March 10, 2020 and dismissed the claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU. The claims for service connection for sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis of the spine with cervical osteophytes, and right ankle peroneal tendonitis were remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, as well as a claim for special home adaptation, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's knee and hearing disabilities, granted service connection for sleep apnea, and remanded a claim for TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to major depressive disorder, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension as it is not related to the Veteran's Gulf War environmental exposures, did not manifest within one year of separation from service, and is not otherwise related to service.

The veteran was granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and an effective date of January 5, 2021, for the award of service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), with a rating of 60 percent.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, elbow, low back, and obstructive sleep apnea disabilities to correct duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted restoration of a 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected left ankle lateral collateral ligament strain, effective May 11, 2021, and granted increased ratings for persistent depressive disorder and migraine headaches.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and PTSD as they were granted or withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board denied increased ratings for OSA and chronic constipation, but granted earlier effective dates for service connection of various conditions including OSA, ED, CVA residuals, and chronic constipation.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of July 14, 2021 for service connection for chronic kidney disease but denied increased ratings and other claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating or establish service connection.

The Board granted an earlier effective date and a higher rating of 100 percent for the Veteran's service-connected MDD, recurrent - severe with anxious distress and alcohol use disorder, effective November 2, 2020. The claims for OSA, ED, hypertension, and migraine headaches were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disability, pulmonary disability (COPD and/or emphysema), and obstructive sleep apnea due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbosacral strain, diabetes as secondary to PTSD, and GERD as secondary to PTSD. The Veteran was also granted a 50 percent disability rating for PTSD effective December 3, 2020.