Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea began during his active service in the Air Force Reserves and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and tinnitus are denied. The Veteran's hearing loss rating remains at 30 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to consider whether obesity is an intermediate step in the development of obstructive sleep apnea, and to obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and toxic exposure risk activities.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA as secondary to PTSD, finding that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravates his OSA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis is granted. The Board found that the private provider's opinion, supported by medical literature, was more persuasive than the VA examiner's conclusion.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), to include as secondary to service-connected asthma, due to insufficient evidence and pre-decisional errors in VA's duty to assist. The Veteran may have participated in a Toxic Exposure Risk Activity (TERA) during service.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis and post-traumatic stress disorder, finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood of causation.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an earlier effective date for obstructive sleep apnea, and the case is dismissed as a result.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obesity as an intermediate step. The decision found that there was no direct causation between PTSD and OSA, and that obesity did not contribute to or aggravate OSA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea disability is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence that suggests a link between his PTSD and diabetes mellitus disabilities and his current sleep apnea.

The appeal of the Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety is dismissed as his PTSD, claimed as anxiety disorder, has been granted. The Board also denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection for sleep apnea, specifically whether it is related to active service or secondary to service-connected sinusitis.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is rated at a noncompensable level due to the aggravation by his service-connected PTSD, resulting in a current rating of 50 percent. The Board finds that this does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's OSA is service-connected due to aggravation by PTSD, but the RO assigned a noncompensable rating. The Board has determined that there was an error in not considering whether the OSA was aggravated by PTSD and has ordered a remand for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions related to the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension are inadequate, necessitating further examination and opinion.

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

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is rated at 50% since December 13, 2013. The effective date for this rating has been granted as of that date.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 1, 2019 for the award of a 70% disability rating for PTSD and has also granted entitlement to TDIU. The initial 40% disability rating for lumbosacral strain remains unchanged as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The decision is based on some persuasive evidence linking OSA and PTSD, with the Board resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and will need further examination to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.