Sleep apnea decisions — 2026

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates in several cases, including those related to essential tremors, femoral nerve radiculopathy, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and obstructive sleep apnea. The effective date for service connection of these conditions is set at January 4, 2022.

The Veteran's service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain, and spinal stenosis was granted with an effective date of February 10, 2022.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD alone, effective from November 1, 2019. Additionally, the Veteran is now eligible for SMC under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) due to additional service-connected disabilities rated at least 60 percent disabling.,The Veteran's TDIU and SMC eligibility are effective from November 1, 2019.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal seeking service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and active service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The claims of service connection for neuropathy, left and right lower extremities are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current sleep apnea is due to or aggravated by obesity, which in turn is linked to his service-connected lumbar degenerative disc disease with radiculopathy, asthma, and vertigo. As a result, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring an additional VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically regarding the adequacy of medical opinions provided by VA examiners. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder and left knee conditions caused or aggravated his sleep apnea, with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for low back disability and neck disability, as well as his claim for TDIU due to service connection issues. The AOJ will need to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is directly related to his in-service toxic exposure risk activities (TERAs).

The Board has restored service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to the AOJ's failure to provide proper procedural safeguards in severing this benefit.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues of service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a 50% rating for service-connected sleep apnea is granted, with the effective date set at June 9, 2023.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective June 2, 2017. The DEA benefits claim for the Veteran's child or surviving spouse is also granted as of June 2, 2017. The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings are dismissed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no link between his service and his condition. The evidence does not support a secondary or direct service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to an acquired psychiatric condition (depression) because there is no evidence that his OSA began in service or was related to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not show he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of migraine headaches and denied the claim for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's OSA is being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors and the need for new medical opinions addressing causation and aggravation.