Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has decided that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is secondary to his service-connected sinusitis and remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for GERD, chronic headaches, and OSA. The Veteran's GERD is found to be related to his active duty service, while his chronic headaches are also linked to his military service. However, the claim for OSA remains pending as there is insufficient evidence linking it to his active service.

Service connection for PTSD and OSA has been denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence corroborating the Veteran's reported stressors.,The Veteran's current diagnoses of PTSD and OSA have not been linked to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error that occurred prior to the November 2020 rating decision. The issue of service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder is now pending and will be addressed with a new VA medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to burn pit exposure during active duty in Iraq. The Veteran's military records indicate he served in Southwest Asia, which is presumed to include exposure to toxic substances like burn pits. The March 2019 VA examination found no direct link between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service, but noted a high risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea due to obesity caused by his bilateral knee disabilities. The Board finds this opinion inadequate and requires another VA examination to address all pertinent questions related to the Veteran's theory of entitlement.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, but granted it for atrial fibrillation. The proposed severance of service connection for hypertensive heart disease with congestive heart failure was dismissed.,Service connection for atrial fibrillation is granted based on its being proximately due to a service-connected disability (hypertension). Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is denied.

The Board denied a TDIU for the period between January 9, 2020, and February 17, 2023, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.,The Board also denied an earlier effective date for DEA benefits eligibility prior to February 17, 2023, as there was no evidence of a total and permanent service-connected disability before this date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions provided are inadequate and remanded for further clarification regarding the appellant's asthma and OSA claims, including their relationship to asbestos exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error and an incomplete medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's low back condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, specifically to ensure all records related to the Veteran's treatment through the VA community care program are associated with the claims file. The issues of increased rating and TDIU remain in dispute.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and other disabilities caused or aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea. The examiner is requested to provide an updated opinion addressing these issues.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for sleep apnea, including potential exposure to toxins and obesity caused by service-connected disabilities.

The appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection for COPD, residuals of tuberculosis, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The left shoulder disorder rating remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is not caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder).

The Veteran's claims for prostate and urinary disabilities have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals. The Board has remanded cases involving left knee, right knee, gallbladder, obstructive sleep apnea, and bilateral blepharitis disabilities due to service in Southwest Asia or secondary to other service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected bilateral foot disability, finding that the evidence is in equipoise regarding this issue and granting the benefit of the doubt to the Veteran.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is granted as presumed due to herbicide exposure. His sleep apnea and right hand fibroma (originally claimed as skin cancer) are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board has remanded several of the issues due to insufficient evidence and will require further examination.,Service connection was not granted for a bilateral eye condition, headache condition, sinus condition, low back condition, right knee condition, left knee condition, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, colon condition, GERD, heart condition, hypertension, and OSA.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that his current disability did not have its onset during service and was not related to any in-service exposures or conditions.