Sleep apnea decisions — 2026

The appeals of the claims for service connection for foot pain and plantar fasciitis are dismissed. The appeal of the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in addressing the Veteran's toxic exposure risk activities and failure to provide a secondary service connection opinion based on aggravation.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted as service-connected. The claims for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral flat feet, cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis. The Veteran's pre-existing conditions worsened during active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea were denied. The claim for headaches, bilateral wrist condition, right shoulder disorder, and sinusitis was granted.,Service connection is established for headaches, bilateral wrist condition, right shoulder disorder, and sinusitis.

The Veteran's left foot disability is rated at 20 percent, effective February 15, 2020. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain remains at a 10 percent rating. The Veteran's PTSD claim has been remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claims for cervical strain, lumbar spine strain, loose teeth, and cyst excision residuals have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,The Veteran's claim for kidney disease has been remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's left shoulder and back disabilities are granted as service-connected, with the Board finding continuous symptoms since military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the potential of a nexus between her conditions and in-service toxic exposures, as provided by the PACT Act. The AOJ is instructed to obtain TERA opinions regarding breast cancer, hypertension, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's obesity and its impact on his OSA is insufficient. The claim must be remanded to obtain an addendum opinion from another appropriate examiner.

The Board has determined that there was a predecisional duty to assist error and remands the case for an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, specifically addressing whether his service-connected PTSD caused or aggravated obesity, which may be an intermediate step in a secondary service-connection analysis.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraines have been dismissed as the appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran through his authorized representative.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD due to the Veteran's passing before a decision could be made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and/or migraines is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence that was not previously considered. The Board finds that obesity may be an intermediate step between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected disabilities, but further examination is needed to determine if it is a substantial factor in causing or aggravating the sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral lower extremities neuropathy, lumbosacral strain, bilateral hip strain, and left knee strain due to a duty to assist error. VA medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis due to inadequate opinion regarding whether a pre-existing low back disability existed prior to service and was aggravated by service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by and/or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities of left tibial stress fracture, right knee sprain, and lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease and scoliosis.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for PTSD and OSA, as well as the TDIU claim due to procedural errors in obtaining relevant VA treatment records and failing to schedule a VA examination.