Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, PTSD, low back disability, right and left ankle conditions, pes planus, tinnitus, IBS, and tendonitis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since his separation from active duty in May 2016. The Board has granted TDIU effective May 15, 2016.

The appeals seeking increased ratings for the lumbar spine, skin disease, bilateral upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, and bilateral lower extremity sciatic radulopathy are dismissed.,The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for OSA is granted. Service connection for OSA is now established.,The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for sinusitis is granted. Service connection for sinusitis is now established.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted prior to August 10, 2022. Service connection for hepatitis B and a respiratory disorder (claimed as respiratory insufficiency, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, and sleep apnea) are denied. An initial rating higher than 60 percent for renal insufficiency is denied prior to March 5, 2020.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his active duty service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, left thigh varicose veins, lumbosacral strain (secondary to bilateral pes planus), and right Achilles tendonitis have all been granted.,Service connection has been established for the Veteran's current conditions based on exposure to particulate matter during service in Southwest Asia.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate etiology opinion, requiring further examination and review of private treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea and arthritis of the hips, hands, shoulders, and cervical spine. The decision found that these conditions did not have their onset in service or are otherwise causally related to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining relevant medical records and providing an opinion regarding the Veteran's cervical spine strain and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions. The Board will consider whether his back, right great toe, right shoulder, and right wrist conditions are related to service or have been aggravated by service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted service connection, with a maximum disability rating of 30%.,Her migraine headaches are granted an increased disability rating to 50%, the highest possible under current criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for staph and MRSA infections, as well as his right ankle, left ankle, high altitude condition, and sleep apnea with CPAP are being remanded due to insufficient medical evidence. The Board requests an addendum opinion from VA to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination and medical opinions to address whether the Veteran's OSA was incurred during service, if it is at least as likely as not caused by his weight gain due to his back disability, and if so, whether it would have occurred without the aggravation of obesity from his back disability.

The Veteran's claim for tuberculosis was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for sleep apnea, fatty liver disease (claimed as liver condition), insulin resistance, and diabetes mellitus were all remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 40 percent for major depressive disorder is denied. The claim for TDIU is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder is granted, with no specific rating assigned and no effective date provided.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee disability, sleep apnea, sinusitis, CFS, and rhinitis due to insufficient evidence or need for further clarification.

The Board has remanded two issues for further development: service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right wrist disability and service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected right wrist disability or major depressive disorder with polysubstance abuse. The claims are being returned for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to August 17, 2017, for right hip trochanteric pain syndrome is denied. The Veteran's lumbosacral disability is granted as service connected.