Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding ratings in excess of 30 percent prior to July 18, 2019, for depressive disorder with insomnia and anxiety disorder. The claims for service connection for tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea were granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of evidence showing that his lumbosacral spine disability and bilateral knee disability were aggravated by active service.

The Board has granted service connection for a respiratory disability, but remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the respiratory disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is at least as likely as not related to service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of peripheral neuropathy, radiculopathy, chronic fatigue syndrome, and maxillary sinusitis have been withdrawn.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to her service-connected persistent depressive disorder. The lumbar spine condition, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and persistent depressive disorder are all granted increased ratings. Service connection for dysfunctional bleeding with LGSIL/HGSIL status post LEEP is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to June 7, 2019.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions. The issues include a left hip disability, COPD, sleep apnea, right knee disability, and TDIU.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or functional equivalent thereof to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of unspecified arthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction. The issues of increases in the ratings assigned for adjustment disorder with depressed mood and a rating in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain are being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder is granted.,The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine (claimed as low back pain), migraines, and hypertension are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the relationship between these conditions and their respective service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is granted.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 8, 2018, for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity is denied. The cervical spine disability was not pending or unadjudicated prior to May 8, 2018.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated VA treatment records and provide the Veteran with an opinion regarding the nature, etiology, and relationship of his sleep apnea to service and his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his migraine headaches, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and lumbar spine condition. The appeals are currently pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sarcoidosis and obstructive sleep apnea due to inadequate medical opinions regarding in-service asbestos exposure, obesity caused by service-connected conditions, and the relationship between sarcoidosis and OSA.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for lower back disorder, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to non-compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for PCB, red lead paint, zinc and mercury exposure, sleep apnea, and shortness of breath.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on multiple conditions, including PTSD with depression, lumbosacral strain, and radiculopathy associated with lumbosacral strain, has been remanded due to the addition of new evidence since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is at least as likely as not associated with his service-connected PTSD and GERD, granting service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA, left knee joint osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine (back), degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine (neck), and headaches. The Veteran's conditions are found to be at least as likely as not related to his military service.,The decision also remanded the issue of service connection for right knee joint osteoarthritis.