Sleep apnea decisions — 2025

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right and left knee disabilities, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, require care and assistance on a regular basis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection for any of the conditions appealed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted, while the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and ratings for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), migraines, a neck condition, and cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea as there was no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea based on the evidence showing a current disability, in-service symptoms, and a nexus to active duty.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea based on new and relevant evidence that showed the condition had its onset during service.

The Board granted service connection for left hip, right hip, back, and sleep apnea disabilities, as well as an initial rating of 30 percent for GERD.

The Board granted service connection for acid reflux / GERD, colonic diverticulitis, gallstones, diastasis of muscle, BPH, OSA, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and thyroid disease disorder (also claimed as autoimmune thyroid disease disorder), all as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus, type 2.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea with an earlier effective date of April 22, 2017, and a rating of 30 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for the entire period on appeal.

The Board granted an effective date of August 10, 2022, for the grant of service connection for hypertension but denied earlier effective dates for heart disability and sleep apnea.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left and right elbow conditions, left and right hip conditions, vision condition, and bilateral hearing loss. The claims for hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than major depressive disorder (MDD), a neck condition, a left shoulder condition, a left ankle condition, a right ankle condition, and a bilateral foot condition were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as it did not originate in service and is not otherwise etiologically related to his active service.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea to afford the Veteran a VA examination and obtain a medical opinion addressing the etiology of his condition.

The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea was dismissed as the claim has already been granted in full.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied it for obstructive sleep apnea, and remanded the claims for right knee, left knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities.

The Board remands the claim for an addendum medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran by finding that his OSA was caused or aggravated by his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and eye condition (to include ocular HTN, dry eyes, and keratoconjunctivitis) as further development is needed.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an earlier effective date for service connection and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance due to a lack of documentation regarding efforts made to contact the RO in Los Angeles, California, for records that might corroborate the Veteran's claim.