Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's claim of service connection for left shoulder disability is reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection for a left shoulder disability is denied as there is no evidence showing that the condition began during or approximate to the pendency of the claim, nor is it related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his service connection claims for major depressive disorder, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and low back disability. The appeals are now on their merits.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of all issues on appeal, including service connection claims for various conditions and disabilities. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's headaches, back disability, sleep apnea, and diverticulitis are all granted service connection. The left knee chondromalacia is denied. Service connection for hypertension and a left testicular disorder are also denied.,Service connection for the cervical spine disability was granted with an initial 20% rating prior to July 9, 2018, but no higher.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability, sleep disability, and chronic fatigue syndrome. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to be related to his active service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied service connection for COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, and lumbar spine disability due to lack of evidence. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities are all granted as secondary to his service-connected musculoskeletal impairments.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is proximately due to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus, resulting in weight gain. As such, the claim for secondary service connection for OSA is granted.

The Veteran's Bell’s Palsy is denied as there is no current diagnosis.,Service connection for OSA is granted based on in-service onset and current diagnosis.,Service connection for bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is granted due to in-service onset and current diagnosis.,Service connection for MDD, with anxious distress, is granted based on in-service onset and current diagnosis.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for tinnitus, rhinitis, a neck disability, and a rating in excess of 20 percent for a back disability, as well as TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and obstructive sleep apnea due to new evidence received since the July 2018 Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right eye disability, right ankle disability, weight loss, and sleep apnea have all been denied. The evidence does not establish the presence of a current disability in any of these conditions.,Specifically, there is no medical evidence showing that the Veteran currently has a right eye disability or right ankle disability.

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active service or to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which was already service-connected. The Board also denied secondary service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected rhinosinusitis and major depressive disorder. His rating for major depressive disorder from January 9, 2015, is granted at 70 percent. The issues of right knee disability, residuals of left testicle surgery, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is granted, and his RLE radiculopathy remains at a 10 percent rating. The Board also grants the Veteran an increased rating for IVDS of the lumbar spine prior to July 28, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (traumatic injury of the lumbosacral spine, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to unresolved issues regarding his exposure to toxic chemicals during service and verification of his reserve service.

The Board has found that the Veteran's asthma is related to his exposure to burn pits during service. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea remains pending and requires further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD may have caused or aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea.