Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected right iliosacral joint syndrome, impairment of thigh, was granted a 20 percent disability rating effective from November 20, 2020.

The Veteran's cervical spine and bilateral arm radiculopathy disabilities are remanded for further examination to determine if they are secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's sleep apnea is also remanded for a determination on whether it is secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The Board had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the appeal as it pertained to conditions and issues related to service connection.

The Board has determined that there were errors in the VA's duty to assist and remanded both issues of service connection for back disability and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities, as well as obtain relevant private medical records.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death. The Board had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the appeal as it pertained to conditions and issues related to service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his sleep apnea, with obesity considered as an intermediate step.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, hemorrhoids, allergic rhinitis, cervicalgia, and headaches. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible statements of in-service symptoms and VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is being remanded for further examination to determine its etiology and whether it is related to service or his service-connected vocal cord nodules.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an effective date prior to June 19, 2017, for a temporary evaluation of 100 percent based on surgical or other treatment necessitating convalescence for a lumbar spine disability. The issue was not properly before the Board due to procedural issues.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the claims of lumbosacral strain and cervical strain due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence and a need for further medical evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for her service-connected sleep apnea with bronchial asthma was denied. The current disability rating of 50 percent is the highest possible under Diagnostic Code 6847, which pertains to obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis is granted. The claims for right foot plantar fasciitis, COPD, and sleep apnea are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that her service-connected PTSD and/or back disability did not cause her obesity, which is necessary to establish secondary service connection. The VA examiners provided more persuasive opinions than the private examiner.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's obesity and subsequent obstructive sleep apnea are a result of his service-connected back and knee disabilities. The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's weight gain was caused by his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea but has remanded the issue of service connection for bipolar disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea disability, finding that it is proximately due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities because his employment history did not show he was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, despite having multiple service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea prior to January 28, 2021 is denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not continuously pursue her claims in the January 2019 decision and thus an earlier effective date was not preserved.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, which is secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The decision is based on a private medical opinion that supports the link between PTSD and the Veteran's sleep disorder.