Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea began during his period of active duty and is therefore service-connected.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the issues of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and sleep apnea. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's service connection claims for migraines and sleep apnea secondary to PTSD are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and increased ratings are denied. The Board found that the criteria for an earlier effective date were not met in several cases, including TDIU, DEA benefits, service connection for coronary artery disease, SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s), and sleep apnea.,The Veteran's PTSD with secondary alcohol abuse in remission and bipolar disorder is rated at the maximum available rating of 70%.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension (claimed as high blood pressure), and chronic headaches.,There is no evidence of any sleep issues or elevated blood pressure in service. The Veteran was not diagnosed with these conditions until years after separation from active duty.

The Veteran's claims for right and left ear hearing loss disabilities, Morton's neuroma of the left foot (status post-surgical removal), and obstructive sleep apnea have been remanded. The effective date for an increased rating of 20 percent for left shoulder strain disability is set at February 20, 2019.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea likely began during his military service and continues to this day, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder are related to an in-service stressor, his OSA is proximately due to his service-connected knee disability, but he does not have BHL for VA purposes.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is rated at 40 percent from April 25, 2013 to March 12, 2019. From March 12, 2019 onwards, the rating for lumbosacral strain is denied. The left lower extremity radiculopathy is rated at 10 percent effective from March 12, 2019.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an adequate VA examination regarding the etiology and aggravation of the Veteran's sleep apnea, which is secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lower back pain, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise that the condition began during active service and continues to this day.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence in the August 2020 VA examination report. The examiner did not consider the Veteran's statements, his friend's description of symptoms during service, and the opinion from his private physician.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis, right knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis, and left and right ankle sprain are all granted. The effective dates for these ratings have not been specified.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of lumbosacral spine and IVDS is granted with an effective date of June 27, 2018.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to premature submission of the reduction request for PTSD and the Veteran's intent to withdraw his claims for TDIU, sleep apnea, headaches, and right foot condition. The appeals were not properly before the Board.

The July 1993 decision denying service connection for retinitis pigmentosa was found to have clear and unmistakable error, and the appeal is granted with a grant of service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea. The VA examiner did not consider whether the condition was incurred in service or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for lumbosacral strain (claimed as a back condition) due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether it is related to military service or aggravated by preexisting scoliosis.