Sleep apnea decisions — 2026

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before a decision was made, so the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing all issues related to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for brain tumor and sleep apnea have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, right knee disorder status post-replacement, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and sleep apnea. The conditions are found to be directly attributable to active duty service.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided are inadequate, and thus remands the case for further development to obtain new medical opinions regarding service connection for a lumbar spine disability.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is found to be directly related to his active-duty service. His left lower extremity radiculopathies are also found to be due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for limitation of flexion of the right knee is denied.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain and limitation of extension of the right hip are remanded due to inadequate VA examination findings.

The Board has denied service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and depression.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding the VA medical opinions provided. The claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is being returned to obtain clarification on whether the condition had its onset during service or was otherwise caused by active service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected MDD caused or aggravated her OSA. The claim will be reconsidered with a new VA medical opinion.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased evaluations of left hip disability, right hip disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and obstructive sleep apnea as the Veteran filed a Supplemental Claim before filing the VA Form 10182 appeal. The March 2025 VA Form 10182 was an impermissible concurrent election.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, hypertension (high blood pressure), an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right shoulder condition, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction have been dismissed or denied. However, the Veteran was granted service connection for hypertension as due to service, and his claims for secondary service connection for MDD and anxiety have been granted.

The Veteran's OSA and PTSD are granted as service-connected. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and status post subarachnoid hemorrhage due to photography chemicals (SAH) are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a back condition, finding that new and relevant evidence (the Veteran's lay statements) supports the claim of a link between his in-service injury and current symptoms.

The Board has found that new and relevant evidence was submitted for the claims of OSA, GERD, and CFS. These claims are being remanded to allow for further development and consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during service and have continued since then. The decision is based on direct service connection.

Right Shoulder Arthritis: Service connection is granted as the Veteran's right shoulder symptoms began during service and are related to his in-service injury.,Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Service connection is denied as there is no evidence of OSA during service or a nexus to service.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection of cause of death, finding that the Veteran's service-connected conditions (sleep apnea with asthma and hypertension) did not contribute substantially or materially to his death from acute pulmonary thromboembolism.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis and DDD was granted effective August 29, 2022. Service connection was established for vitreous syneresis / vitreous floaters of both eyes. The claims for service connection for refractive error of both eyes (myopia and astigmatism), bilateral hearing loss disability, residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), obstructive sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) were all denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or causation in service. The opinion concluded that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is more likely due to her acromegaly than to any service-connected condition.