Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and clarification of the medical opinions regarding the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, including whether it is linked to service exposure to burn pits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's OSA may be related to his military service, but further medical opinion is needed to determine if it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's weight gain due to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and migraine headaches caused or aggravated his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, obstructive sleep apnea, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, have prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment since January 1, 2014.,Prior to February 10, 2016, the Veteran was not in receipt of a combined disability rating that met the criteria for SMC based on housebound status.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability and left shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service accident.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is related to the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis.

Service connection for chronic rhinitis is granted, and a higher initial disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD from December 17, 2019, is also granted. Service connection for OSA and skin disorder are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to the failure to provide a VA examination and TERA opinion as required by the PACT Act.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his military service and are related to his in-service exposure to burning batteries.

The Board has determined that the AOJ did not obtain an adequate etiological opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service, including during TERA deployments. The case is being remanded for a new VA examination and opinion.

The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinion is inadequate and remands the case for a new examination to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the evaluations and service connection decisions related to hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and impotence.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted a 20 percent rating.,Service connection for migraines is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a thorough readjudication of his claim, including an analysis of the propriety of the initial evaluation assigned from January 1, 1989, to March 1, 2002, and consideration of different manifestations of the service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain (back disability) and right lower extremity radiculopathy, secondary to a service-connected back disability. The decision is based on the Veteran's competent and credible lay statements regarding his in-service injury and subsequent pain.

The Board has determined that there are errors in the decision regarding service connection for various conditions and requires additional medical opinions to address these issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD and remanded the issue of secondary service connection for sleep apnea due to his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder. The AOJ must obtain a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for obstructive sleep apnea and bipolar disorder, as well as earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations for these conditions.

The Veteran's cause of death and ischemic heart disease are granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Veteran served at U-Tapao Airfield, where he had close contact with aircraft.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, left knee strain, and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 2018.