Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted were inadequate and remands the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a medical examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD or any other inservice exposure, as required by the PACT Act.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress and psychotic features, obstructive sleep apnea, and left knee degenerative arthritis. The conditions are found to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD and other unspecified stressor-related disorders, is related to his service in military intelligence. Service connection for this condition is granted. The Board also finds that the Veteran's OSA and RLS are secondary to his acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for psychiatric disabilities, shoulder and knee injuries, hearing loss, hypertension, and sleep apnea. The remand also includes a request to verify the Veteran's periods of active duty with the Navy Reserve.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with a previous VA medical opinion and because the Veteran was recognized as having toxic exposure under the PACT Act. The case will be reviewed again, including obtaining additional records and providing an addendum medical opinion.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain with mild degenerative changes of the spine, but dismissed the claim for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis due to a full grant of benefits.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is related to her service-connected disabilities or due to in-service exposures, including burn pit exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for chronic lumbosacral strain is denied. Separate ratings for radiculopathy affecting the sciatic nerve in both lower extremities are granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea should be remanded due to incomplete records from Social Security Administration (SSA).

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for sleep apnea, left knee degenerative joint disease, and right knee degenerative joint disease due to inconsistencies in the evidence and need for additional medical opinions. The issue of service connection for memory problems with residuals was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing a current disability.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back injury disability and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his eye disability (dry eye syndrome) due to incomplete medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for fatigue is denied as the evidence does not support a finding of an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness (MUCMI). The symptoms are attributed to his COPD and OSA.,Service connection for skin rash due to exposure to burn pits is dismissed without prejudice as there is no currently diagnosed active skin disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development of records and need for a new VA examination.

The Board denied an increased rating for lumbar strain, finding that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability did not meet criteria for higher ratings from October 3, 2014, and September 21, 2022.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and remanded several issues of service connection due to his active military service. The issues of service connection for OSA, bilateral knee conditions, headaches, right-hand condition, left-hand condition, and left hip condition are now pending.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, left hip strain, right hip strain, and lumbosacral strain.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sleep apnea due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. Additional development is needed with addendum VA medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and renal disease due to inadequate medical opinions. The VA is instructed to obtain new evidence and provide additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various joint disabilities prior to September 27, 2002 due to a need for further development and medical opinions.