Sleep apnea decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date than March 1, 2009, for additional dependency compensation for his child was denied as he did not meet the criteria for additional dependency compensation prior to this date.

The appeal as to the initial disability rating for IVDS with lumbosacral strain has been withdrawn and is dismissed. The claims of service connection for knee disabilities and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, and back disorder (lumbosacral strain) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The VA examiner found no causal relationship between the knee disabilities and the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and GERD, leading to their dismissal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea began during his military service and is caused by it, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, OSA, and a psychiatric disability are denied. The claim for TDIU is also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found that there is no evidence to support a direct link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder, with obesity serving as an intermediate step.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically failing to obtain an adequate VA medical opinion for the theory of secondary service connection. The Veteran's OSA is being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and potential secondary service connection theories.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes and therefore, service connection is denied. The claims for tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), obstructive sleep apnea, and left knee strain are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board has decided to remand several issues including the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, TDIU prior to February 5, 2021, and basic eligibility for DEA benefits prior to February 5, 2021. These claims are inextricably intertwined with his other claims being remanded.

The appeal for service connection of a bilateral foot disorder is dismissed. The appeals for service connection of OSA, cervical spine disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left elbow disorder, right elbow disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, and right ankle disorder are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for COPD and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate statement of reasons and bases for its decision, specifically regarding whether the December 2022 VA examiner's opinion was adequate. The Veteran's claim will be returned for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding no nexus between the condition and active service, including any toxic exposures during service. The appeal is denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinion provided prior to the decision on appeal was incomplete and insufficient, as it did not provide an analysis for both causation and aggravation. The Veteran's OSA is claimed to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD. As a result, the claim is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain was granted with an effective date of February 1, 2020. The Board found that the Veteran is entitled to this effective date as it represents the day VA received notice of his intent to file a claim leading to the grant of service connection.