Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on several knee and lower extremity conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of irritable bowel syndrome and a back disability with sciatica due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence, but the case is remanded for a VA examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that these conditions are related to his service-connected left hip condition and in-service exposure, respectively.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective February 16, 2018, due to her service-connected disabilities preventing her from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of January 12, 2019 for the award of service connection for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity associated with lumbosacral and thoracic strain.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received, warranting readjudication of the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's contention is that his sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected PTSD. However, the VA examiner did not address whether the Veteran's PTSD impacts the ability to use the CPAP machine and aggravates his sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea is not causally related to his service-connected disabilities, but may have been aggravated by them. The Board also found that obesity, which may be linked to his service-connected disabilities, was a substantial factor in causing his sleep apnea. As such, the issue must be remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, pacemaker, PTSD, and sleep apnea as there was a pre-decisional error in not obtaining his personnel records. The claims are also remanded to obtain VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's OSA may be related to his service-connected bilateral knee degenerative arthritis with meniscal tear and instability, but additional evidence is needed to determine this relationship.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral sprain and degenerative disc disease (back disability) as well as cervical strain (neck disability), finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's active-duty service, including his military flight time.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and bilateral knee disabilities are found to be at least as likely as not a factor in causing his Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), warranting secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted with an effective date of January 30, 2007. This decision is based on the submission of a relevant official service department record (a Post-Deployment Health Reassessment) that existed and had not been associated with the claims file when VA first decided the claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, as well as radiculopathy in multiple extremities, are being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome claim is also being remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, lumbar spine disability, and right knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for migraines as secondary to major depressive disorder and lumbosacral strain as secondary to status post left knee torn ACL and MCL tears with surgical reconstruction with residual patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected partial resection of the 6th rib/damage to muscle group XXI (muscles of respiration) has contributed to his developing obstructive sleep apnea, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused by his obesity, which is linked to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board has granted service connection for the condition.

Service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected sinusitis is granted.,The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains pending and will be remanded.

An effective date of December 8, 2009 is granted for the grant of service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine.,An effective date of December 5, 2017 is granted for the grant of service connection for sciatica of right lower extremity.,No earlier effective date is granted for the grant of service connection for sciatica of left lower extremity.