Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease and obstructive sleep apnea have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, and will request an addendum opinion from a VA medical professional regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea had onset in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left leg shin splints, right leg shin splints, joint pain (claimed as arthritis), sleep apnea, fatigue, neck condition, acne, and lung condition. The evidence did not show a current disability or link to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar disc disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral knee strains, residuals of a left ankle concussion, and bilateral pes cavus are found to be related to his obstructive sleep apnea. His claim for restoration of a 30 percent evaluation for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for upper airway resistance syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea, as well as his request for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, have been dismissed due to the Veteran's attorney withdrawing the appeals prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD alone is sufficient to grant a TDIU, and his other service-connected disabilities are at least 60% combined. The Veteran also meets the criteria for SMC based on housebound status.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea has been granted, with the effective date set at June 25, 2019.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, finding that obesity caused by PTSD is a contributing factor.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error, requiring an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for eczema, an acquired psychiatric condition (to include PTSD), and lumbosacral strain (claimed as low back pain/injury) due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a separate disability rating for insomnia is denied as it is subsumed under his service-connected PTSD.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied as no new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the July 1986 denial, making the June 9, 2017, claim without legal merit.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for OSA is denied as no new and material evidence was submitted within one year of the April 2013 denial, making the June 9, 2017, claim without legal merit.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as to entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a left ankle disability due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for separate ratings for chronic bronchitis and obstructive sleep apnea is denied as the disabilities are rated under different diagnostic codes and cannot be combined.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted in a February 2024 Rating Decision, resulting in a 50% disability rating. The appellant is eligible to receive attorney fees based on the past-due benefits awarded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected disabilities including PTSD and musculoskeletal conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, CAD, and OSA have been denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for chronic bronchitis and remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left wrist fracture, bilateral hearing loss, Type II diabetes, bilateral glaucoma, OSA, cervical disc herniation, and other musculoskeletal issues are denied.,Service connection is not established for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, GERD, gout, right toes, hypertension, and sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with IVDS and associated radiculopathies of the left and right lower extremities are granted at a 40 percent rating prior to December 27, 2023, and denied for ratings in excess of this level from that date.