Sleep apnea decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor based on symptoms first manifesting during active-duty service.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, and obstructive sleep apnea disabilities as the evidence did not show a relationship to the Veteran's active service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea as secondary to tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and back conditions due to an approximate balance of evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back disability and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, as the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent and 10 percent respectively.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the claim for hypertension due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted service connection for right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with cervical spine degenerative disc disease (DDD) and lumbosacral strain. The appeal was denied for facial scars, increased ratings for cervical spine DDD with degenerative arthritis, lumbosacral strain, left knee meniscal and anterior cruciate ligament tear with chondrosis, limited flexion, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities and a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to correct pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, specifically requiring new medical opinions regarding their relationship to the Veteran's military service.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea on a secondary basis, finding that the Veteran's OSA is caused by his adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (adjustment disorder) and degenerative disc disease L5-S1, with obesity as an intermediate step.

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

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims for recurrent tinnitus, a penile condition, and sleep apnea.

The veteran was granted a 50% disability rating for persistent depressive disorder (PDD) starting August 15, 2018, and the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to PDD and migraines, higher ratings for migraine headaches, and TDIU were remanded.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease, lower lumbar; service connection for sleep apnea; and service connection for ulcerative colitis. The issue of total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is also remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for hypertension, an increased rating for GERD, and service connection for OSA. The effective date for the grant of service connection for GERD was set to February 15, 2012.

The Board remands the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain with minimal anterior subluxation L3/L4, and for initial compensable ratings for left hip strain with limitation of extension and abduction. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to an inadequate medical opinion and a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected PTSD and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and entitlement to service connection for OSA as secondary to PTSD, left knee condition, and/or left shoulder pain with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right lateral collateral ligament sprain with plantar and retrocalcaneal spur, lumbar strain, right knee strain with dorsal patellar spurring with limitation of flexion, left knee strain with dorsal patellar spurring with limitation of extension, plantar fasciitis, and left ankle strain.