Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected TMJ disorder. The VA is required to obtain an addendum opinion that discusses if obesity/weight gain as a result of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities was a substantial factor in causing his OSA, and whether his OSA would not have occurred but for the obesity/weight gain caused by the service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including PTSD, anxiety disorders, sleep apnea, headaches, and dizziness.,VA must provide further development to address these issues, including obtaining private medical records and providing VA examinations.

The Board has determined that additional evidence must be considered by the AOJ before a final decision can be made on the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee strain, right knee strain, and lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it did not onset in service and is neither etiologically related to service nor aggravated by his service-connected sinusitis and lumbar strain.

The Veteran's asthma and obstructive sleep apnea have been granted a 100% evaluation, effective from July 25, 2015 to July 22, 2022 for the service-connected asthma, and from July 22, 2022. The TDIU has also been restored.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 60 percent for pulmonary asbestosis with sleep apnea, and the issue of service connection for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding its etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical strain, TBI, lumbar condition, and left knee injury due to insufficient evidence.,Further medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, effective July 2, 2018.,A 20 percent rating was assigned for right lower extremity radiculopathy, also effective July 2, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding various theories of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The Veteran's OSA is being remanded for additional etiological opinions on secondary service connection, indirect secondary service connection, and service connection based on toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and right ankle disorder due to insufficient development, including obtaining qualifications of the VA examiner who provided opinions in September 2023.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an earlier effective date of service connection. The initial ratings assigned for various disabilities were also denied.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for OSA was granted. Entitlement to a rating of 40 percent, but no higher, for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine is also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, and headache disorder. The Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ankle disorder due to insufficient evidence showing that his current condition is related to his active military service.,The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot disorder, PTSD, OSA, sinusitis, and rhinitis. These issues are pending further examination and/or medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea is remanded, and the hypertension rating remains at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to exposure to burn pits in Vietnam. The claim must be reviewed again with an addendum medical opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to provide sufficient notice of VA's position on secondary service connection. The Veteran's OSA will be evaluated again with a new addendum opinion, and the issue of secondary service connection for PTSD will also be addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and right knee arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's obesity, which was aggravated by his treatment for service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and lumbosacral strain, as well as service connection for sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension, was denied. The Board found the evidence did not support higher ratings or establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

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