Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, as it raises a secondary theory of entitlement based on his PTSD and type II diabetes mellitus. Additional development is needed to address these theories.

The Board granted service connection for a low back disorder, but denied earlier effective dates for bilateral pes planus and PTSD.,Service connection was established for a lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee condition and sleep apnea, as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricability with the other two issues.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of a current disability. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded as the VA examiner's opinion was not compliant with the October 2019 remand directives.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA opinions and a need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and arranging for an addendum opinion from a VA clinician.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed Obstructive Sleep Apnea is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The issue is now remanded for a VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and major depressive disorder have been rated, but his OSA remains unaddressed.,His service-connected disabilities are causing him to be unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected disabilities, specifically hypertension and hypertensive heart disease.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete information and need for additional medical opinions regarding service connection for tinea pedis of both feet, sleep apnea, and lumbar strain.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for VR&E benefits due to his not having a serious employment handicap and his eligibility period ending on August 11, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for left shin splints was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for hip pain, stress fracture of mid-right tibia, and obstructive sleep apnea (fatigue) were all denied as the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and service.,The Veteran's claim for left shin splints was reopened but still denied.

The Veteran's sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is remanded for further evaluation due to the inadequacy of the December 2015 VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of opinion on whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is directly related to service. A supplemental opinion is needed.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected adjustment disorder and degenerative disc disease. The evidence shows that the Veteran's weight gain, which is related to his service-connected conditions, caused his obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, as secondary to his service-connected sinusitis, needs further clarification and evidence. The case is being sent back for a supplemental medical opinion.

The Veteran's lumbosacral muscle strain with degenerative changes at L5-S1 is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, but the Board has determined that this rating is not warranted due to lack of evidence showing forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the preceding 12 months.

The Veteran's appeal is limited to the issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The Board has decided this issue in favor of the Veteran and remanded it for further examination.