Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's OSA and left Achilles Tendonitis have been granted service connection. The claim for respiratory symptoms has been remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and remanded the issues of increased ratings for right knee strain, left knee strain, and lumbosacral strain. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected PTSD and back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board is remanding them to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his low back pain, OSA, and right ankle disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examinations and insufficient consideration of relevant evidence. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of bilateral lower extremity cellulitis, bilateral hip arthritis, and throat polyps. The Veteran is also granted an increased rating for his prostatitis with BPH.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain has also been denied, with the Board finding that his current 10% rating is appropriate based on the examination findings and medical records.

The appeals for service connection for bilateral cataracts, prostate cancer, and tinnitus have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity and right upper extremity.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than January 20, 2012 for the grant of service connection for lumbar spine disability and for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and major depressive disorder) were both denied. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding of service connection for either condition.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of current bilateral hearing loss disability.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected sinusitis with headaches is granted. The Board resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for cervical spine, right upper extremity nerve, obstructive sleep apnea, and tinnitus disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for traumatic brain injury (TBI) is remanded as there is conflicting evidence regarding whether it was incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an incomplete examination, requiring a new opinion on whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service.

The Board has decided that service connection for sleep apnea is granted, but the left hip strain claim needs further examination and a new opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hiatal hernia with GERD, bilateral shin splints, allergic rhinitis, hypertension, hemorrhoids, right wrist sprain, left wrist sprain, thoracolumbar spine disability, and bilateral pes planus were granted effective July 1, 2016. Claims for other conditions are denied as they were not received within one year of separation from service.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and a sleep disturbance are remanded due to incomplete service records.,The Veteran's claims for low back disability and associated peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to incomplete service records.,The Veteran's claim for COPD is remanded due to incomplete service records.,The Veteran's claim for exposure to tuberculosis is remanded due to incomplete service records.,Incomplete VA treatment records are needed for all claims.,Outstanding private and federal records need to be obtained for the Veteran’s claims.,A VA examination is required to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, sleep disturbance, low back disability, peripheral neuropathy, COPD, and tuberculosis.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his time in service and was denied.,The Veteran's left knee ACL tear, PCL partial tear does not limit flexion to 30 degrees and the instability more nearly approximates slight instability. An increased rating for this condition is granted.,Right knee strain (painful limited extension) associated with left knee ACL tear is not limited to 10 degrees of extension and an increased rating is denied.,Right knee strain (painful limited flexion) associated with left knee ACL tear is not limited to 30 degrees of flexion and an increased rating is denied.,A separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability is granted based on history of slight recurrent subluxation and slight lateral instability.,Left hip abduction does not result in motion lost past 10 degrees and a non-increased rating for left hip strain associated with left knee ACL tear is denied.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was found to have begun during service and continued post-service, granting service connection for the condition.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, primary open-angle glaucoma, and sleep apnea. The issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and a thyroid disability are also remanded due to lack of medical nexus opinions. The TDIU issue remains inextricably intertwined with these other issues.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, now with degenerative disc disease prior to August 1, 2019, is denied a rating in excess of 10 percent.,The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, now with degenerative disc disease from August 1, 2019, is denied a rating in excess of 20 percent.