Sleep apnea decisions — 2026

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding various conditions, including hypertension and sleep apnea. The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all other issues is also dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with IVDS and lumbosacral strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome have been granted. The Veteran is currently rated at 20 percent for the lumbar spine condition.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea, specifically addressing whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's service-connected conditions (tinnitus and/or insomnia) caused or aggravated his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 27, 2021 for a 50 percent rating for sleep apnea (previously diagnosed as hypersomnia/excessive daytime sleepiness) was denied because the earliest assignable date is September 27, 2021.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's condition had its onset in service. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that a pre-decisional duty to assist error was committed in not addressing the intermediate step theory.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including degenerative disc disease, sinusitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral eye disabilities, including glaucoma, and sinus bronchial syndrome have been granted. The Veteran's allergic rhinitis has also been granted with an initial 10% rating.,The Veteran's skin cancer of the right leg, PTSD, GERD, and bilateral hearing loss claims remain denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not related to his active service or a service-connected condition, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and obstructive sleep apnea have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea on a secondary basis to tinnitus is being remanded due to the insufficiency of the March 2025 VA examination. A supplemental opinion must be obtained to address whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's sleep apnea was aggravated by her service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back condition and remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of March 30, 1984 for service connection for lumbosacral strain and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The claims were pending since the Veteran filed his initial claim within a year of separation from service.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be causally related to his active duty service in Southwest Asia, and the Board grants service connection for OSA.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbosacral strain, left knee instability, persistent depressive disorder, and left shoulder strain. The claim for hypertension is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's OSA is being reviewed in light of his herbicide exposure, anxiety disorder, tinnitus, and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine.

The Board has granted service connection for colon cancer and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. Service connection for COPD and asthma have been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, insomnia, and vertigo due to a lack of current diagnoses meeting VA criteria for these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for deviated septum and an initial disability rating in excess of 70 percent for specified trauma related disorder. The claim for service connection for OSA as secondary to his service-connected specified trauma related disorder is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, headaches, sleep apnea, a left shoulder condition, and a skin condition. The appeal was dismissed due to an improper concurrent election.