Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his military service. The Board also found no competent and credible evidence demonstrating a direct relationship between the Veteran's OSA and his military service or any other event of service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, right knee disability, and obstructive sleep apnea due to incomplete records and lack of an opinion on whether these conditions are related to active service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of left and right hip disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, and heart disease. The issues have been REMANDED.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including traumatic arthritis of his lumbosacral spine, entrapment of the lumbar nerve root in his left lower extremity, radiculopathy of his right lower extremity, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, preclude him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for lower and upper back problems was granted. The Board also remanded several issues including increased ratings, initial compensable disability ratings, and service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD.

The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for sleep apnea is granted. The claims for bilateral ankle disability and bilateral knee disability are denied, but the low back disability with right side radiculopathy remains under review.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 20 percent, and no higher.,The Veteran's left foot numbness with plantar fasciitis (left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy) is rated at 20 percent from January 10, 2019.

Effective January 31, 2013, the Veteran received increased ratings for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome affecting his left shoulder and knees. Effective February 15, 2013, he also received additional disability ratings for recurrent dislocations of each shoulder and instability of each knee.,The effective date for the reduction in rating for chronic strain of the lumbosacral spine from 20% to 10% was January 8, 2014.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for hypertension and denied the claim for service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hypertension, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise that these conditions had their onset during active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension due to inadequate opinions regarding causation and aggravation by service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence showing fatigue and possible sleep trouble in service, which may be related to the Veteran's current sleep apnea. The VA examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's sleep apnea had its onset during service or is otherwise directly related to his active duty.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 20 percent, effective August 18, 2019. The Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted for the period from February 26, 2013 to August 18, 2019. However, the Veteran's TDIU claim remains pending as it was previously denied and he contends he is unemployable due to his back condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral strain with posterior disc bulge and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to additional evidence being added to the record. The case will be returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for OSA, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and GERD due to evidence indicating their service-connected disabilities have worsened since the last VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability and entitlement to an extraschedular rating for the Veteran's service-connected back disability. The decision is based on incomplete records, specifically missing Social Security Administration disability benefits records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service. The Veteran provided lay statements from people who served with him, but an addendum opinion is needed to consider these statements and determine if they support a finding of in-service onset or aggravation.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for basal cell carcinoma, polyneuropathy of bilateral upper and lower extremities, and OSA due to a lack of an opinion regarding their relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD and/or ischemic heart disease, or if obesity caused by these conditions is a substantial factor in causing or aggravating his sleep apnea.