Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's sleep apnea claim is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding its etiology, including consideration of TERA exposure. The matter also involves determining whether service-connected psychiatric and/or musculoskeletal disabilities caused or aggravated obesity, which may be related to sleep apnea.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the service connection for lumbosacral strain, left and right knee conditions, and left and right eye conditions in May 2024.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to February 4, 2020, for the award of increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities. The appeal is also remanded to obtain private treatment records from Dr. J.D.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence linking his current diagnosis to his active service.

The Veteran's hypertension and asthma with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been granted service connection, with the hypertension receiving a 20% rating effective October 18, 2023, and the asthma with OSA receiving a 100% rating effective August 18, 2025.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors and a need for further medical evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral disorder and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, finding no evidence of these conditions during his military service or post-service. The Board concluded that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of back and neck disabilities.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient medical evidence to decide the service connection claim for OSA secondary to PTSD. The Veteran's claim was remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis, right foot plantar fasciitis, sleep apnea, sciatic radicular pain of the right lower extremity, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine as they have been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board is remanding the claims for service connection and effective dates earlier than March 20, 2020 due to duty to assist errors and a request for a good cause extension of time limits.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected deviated nasal septum, finding that resolving the benefit of doubt in favor of the Veteran places the evidence in equipoise.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that his symptoms first manifested in service and are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's sleep apnea claim due to incomplete records and a need for clarification on whether he requires a breathing assistance device such as a CPAP machine. The GERD issue is not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for a new VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle and lumbosacral spine disabilities were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to his service-connected GERD and tinnitus. The initial rating for IVDS is granted at 40 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

The Veteran's claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine (claimed as back condition), sleep apnea, and unspecified trauma or stressor related disorder with anxious distress, depressed mood and panic attacks were denied. The Board found that new evidence was not relevant to the claim for chronic fatigue syndrome, and there is no presumptive service connection available for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine (claimed as back condition) due to particulate matter and burn pits exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a lack of sufficient medical evidence. The Veteran's symptoms need further examination by VA doctors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability during or related to military service and insufficient medical opinion supporting secondary service connection.