Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depression, left upper extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine condition, tinnitus, scar with puncture wound residuals, and obstructive sleep apnea, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The case is being remanded for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining medical opinions on service connection claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient reasoning in the previous decision regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The examiner's opinion did not address whether the Veteran's various service-connected disabilities caused his obesity, which is a necessary step in determining if they are related to the sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected back condition has been rated at 40 percent since May 6, 2014. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period during this time frame.

The Board has remanded both the increased rating claim for bulimia nervosa and the TDIU claim due to issues with the evidence provided by the AOJ. The Veteran is required to provide additional information about her employment history, and a new eating disorders examination must be conducted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to outstanding records from the Social Security Administration.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for OSA and a bilateral hand disability due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's sleep disorder may be related to her active service, but more evidence is needed regarding her hand disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD (including generalized anxiety disorder and other specified trauma and stressor related disorder), is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for hypertension is denied.,Service connection for OSA, to include as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder, is denied.,Service connection for a left foot disability is denied.

The Veteran's lumbosacral intervertebral disc displacement is rated at 10 percent prior to May 5, 2018, and at 40 percent thereafter. The claim for higher ratings is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is being considered as a potential cause or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent for the appellant's lumbar spine disability, effective May 10, 2018. The right shoulder scars are rated at 10 percent since March 24, 2018.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and medical opinions regarding her service-connected residuals, status post treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease with pelvic fluid, as well as her claimed conditions of cyst on ovaries, infertility, menorrhagia, multinodular thyroid goiter, and uterine fibroids.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology and potential relationship to service. The case will be returned to the RO for further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD has been reopened and remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea to include as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability (with intermediary obesity) has been reopened and remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depression and PTSD, as secondary to a service-connected right knee condition has been reopened and remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to the veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder and for migraines, both of which are related to her active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and new evidence. The Veteran's OSA is being reviewed again, with a focus on its relationship to his service-connected conditions and potential exposure to toxic substances.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral hearing loss due to potential issues with the adequacy of previous examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for disfigurement residuals of laser hair removal, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension are remanded due to the need for medical examinations.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 11, 2018, for the grant of service connection for low back scar is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with his right shoulder arthritis claim.,The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent from March 7, 2020, for lumbar spondylosis and status post-surgical debridement are remanded due to the need for medical examinations.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act, while service connection for bowel disturbance with proctitis and prostate cancer residuals is granted as secondary to existing disabilities.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disability, sleep apnea, and muscle pain (hamstring injury). The claims for these conditions are based on direct service connection rather than secondary or aggravation of a pre-existing condition. However, the appeal is remanded for further development regarding the remaining issues.