Sleep apnea decisions — 2025

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of a lumbosacral spine disability, and the Board has dismissed the case.

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 military service or any of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board is remanding the issue of entitlement to an initial disability rating higher than 10 percent for lumbosacral spine strain due to an inadequate examination that failed to properly address flare-ups.

The Board remands the issues for further development, specifically to obtain and associate with the claims file all treatment records regarding the Veteran scanned into VISTA.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as a new theory of potential entitlement has been raised, specifically that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and a back condition to ensure adequate medical opinions are obtained.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and nose bleeds to obtain medical opinions regarding their relationship to toxic exposures, specifically TCE, PFAS, and benzene.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea to obtain additional medical opinions addressing concerns related to toxic risk exposure and pathophysiology.

The Board remands the appeal for a VA opinion to clarify the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities and provide an opinion based on correct facts regarding whether any psychiatric disability was related to service. It also remands the claim for sleep apnea due to an inaccurate factual premise in the previous VA examiner's report.

The Board granted an effective date of March 24, 2022, for the grant of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea based on continuous pursuit of the claim.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis, resolving the benefit of the doubt in favor of the appellant.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's weight gain and obesity are an intermediate step between her service-connected conditions and her sleep apnea.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and constant headaches as secondary to sleep apnea due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for right shoulder, lumbosacral spine, right hip, and cervical spine degenerative arthritis based on new evidence. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, left wrist, and left forearm were remanded for further consideration.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a lumbosacral strain and an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as anxiety and depression, due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for cold injuries and lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of sleep apnea, a combined evaluation in excess of 90 percent, and revision based on clear and unmistakable error.

The appeal for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to a service-connected deviated septum is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and opinion.

The appeal for increased and additional disability ratings for sleep apnea with chronic cough and dyspnea, as well as the appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection for sleep apnea, has been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of June 5, 1984 for service connection for IBS and right lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied an earlier effective date for the assignment of a 40 percent disability rating for lumbosacral strain.