Sleep apnea decisions — 2026

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected left ankle and right knee disorders, with obesity serving as an intermediate step.

The Board has remanded two issues: the Veteran's claim for service connection for obesity as secondary to her service-connected low back strain, and her claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to her service-connected low back strain. The reasons include a lack of an examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obesity and sleep apnea, and failure to address the possibility that obesity may have caused or aggravated sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for gastritis, chronic sinusitis, rhinitis, sleep apnea, and IBS have been granted with an effective date of May 1, 2023.,Service connection has also been granted for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as a separate condition from the Veteran's service-connected gastritis. The relationship to PTSD is pending further examination.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including depression, mental health disorder, TBI, alopecia, headaches, TMJ disorder, insomnia, OSA, conjunctivitis, dry eye disorder, glaucoma, PFB, rhinitis, sinusitis, deviated septum, neck disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right elbow disorder, left elbow disorder, asthma, hyperthyroid disorder, hives, anemia, DM (diabetes mellitus), heart disorder, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), kidney stones, hiatal hernia, hemorrhoids, right hip/thigh disorder, left hip/thigh disorder, varicose veins, heel spurs, pes planus, bunions, RUE neuropathy, LUE neuropathy, right hand disorder, left hand disorder, back disorder, RLE neuropathy, LLE neuropathy, HTN (hypertension), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), bladder disorder, ED (erectile dysfunction), prostate disorder, and gout.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a left knee condition, right knee condition, and sinus condition have been dismissed due to the expiration of the appeal period.,Service connection has been granted for rhinitis (rhinitis medicamentosa).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neurosarcoidosis and obstructive sleep apnea due to outstanding private treatment records, clarification of diagnoses, and new medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine, finding that his service-connected condition aggravated his nonservice-connected OSA.

The Board has determined that there is a need to review the September 19, 2024 rating decision for awarding service connection for sleep apnea due to unclear evidence and potential clear and unmistakable error. The effective date of the award remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and right ankle disabilities, as well as a higher rating for his right ankle disability. The decision found that there was no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to service or any service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for obesity, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea as there was no evidence of these conditions during active service or within one year after separation. The Veteran's claims were not supported by medical records showing a relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability, including spondylosis, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), facet joint arthritis, and L4-5 disc bulge, is now rated at 40 percent effective June 11, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking PTSD directly to OSA.

The Veteran's tinnitus, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, left lower extremity disorder, right lower extremity disorder, right knee disorder, and lumbar spine disorder are all granted as service connected. The effective date for the grant of service connection is November 19, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether OSA is aggravated by service-connected tinnitus and/or a depressive disorder. The Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA will be reconsidered with new medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea, thus granting service connection for OSA as secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and orthopedic disabilities, with obesity being an intermediate step.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination prior to denying the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The examiner is requested to determine if there is a nexus between the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and his active-duty service, as well as any presumed environmental toxin exposures (specifically burn pits).

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, GERD, and allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a rating of 70 percent, but no higher. The other conditions are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was dismissed because the issue had already been resolved in his favor with a grant of service connection and a rating effective August 9, 2024.