Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that further development and action is needed to determine the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including arthritis of the knees, sleep apnea, back disability, and right ankle disability. The appeal will be remanded for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation due to service, as they are presumed related to Gulf War service. The VA will conduct a TERA-specific examination to determine if these conditions are linked to toxic exposure during service.

The Board has remanded several issues for additional development, including service connection claims and rating determinations. The Veteran's claims are related to his service-connected conditions and other health issues.

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and active service or any other factor.

The Veteran's GERD and Barrett's esophagus were incurred during service. The claims for right shoulder, left shoulder, back, bilateral flat foot, right ear hearing loss, tonsil problems, and obstructive sleep apnea are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea began during his active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and dismissed the remaining issues of entitlement to service connection for a heart condition, left-hand disability, right-hand disability, fatigue, tension headaches, and gastroesophageal reflux diseases (GERD).

The Board has denied a compensable rating for post concussive headaches and has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected traumatic brain injury.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of the condition and the Veteran's contentions are not supported by objective evidence.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, lumbosacral strain, and knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence was not presented to reopen any of these claims.

The Board has decided that the remand for an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea is necessary due to inadequate development and findings in previous opinions.

The Veteran's left shoulder strain is rated at 20% since July 29, 2006. The current rating for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine remains at 20% from October 24, 2017.,Prior to April 21, 2023, the Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied. From April 21, 2023, the matter is moot as a 100% schedular rating has been assigned with entitlement to Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to questions regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is equivalent to ankylosis during flare-ups, passive range of motion, or repetitive use testing due to pain. The AOJ will need to review additional evidence and provide a new rating decision.

The Board has determined that the remand is necessary to obtain a proper medical opinion regarding the Veteran's back condition, as well as his spina bifida occulta and lumbosacral transitional vertebrae. The examiner must determine if there was any increase in disability during service or if any increase was due to natural progress of preexisting conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives and a need for further development, including obtaining an updated opinion from a medical examiner.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and service connection claims have been remanded due to insufficient development of medical records and exposure history.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability secondary to his right knee disability has been granted.,However, the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was denied as there is no evidence of its onset in service or due to any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and bilateral foot disability (claimed as frostbite of the feet) are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service. Additional VA treatment records must be obtained, and new medical opinions are needed to address whether these conditions are related to toxic exposure risk activities or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection for OSA secondary to PTSD and inservice onset of OSA. A TERA examination is also required.