Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and ratings for certain disabilities. The specific issues include dental disorders, hearing loss, tinnitus, ear infections, sleep apnea, arm and elbow disorders, frostbite residuals, low back disorder, sciatic nerve disorder, psychiatric disorders, pes planus, gout in the lower extremities, bronchial asthma, and allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, right femoral hernia, left femoral hernia, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder and PTSD), and COPD have all been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of these conditions.,There is no evidence showing the Veteran has any current diagnosed sleep apnea, right or left femoral hernias, or an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder and PTSD).

The Veteran's valvular heart disease was not shown in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether sleep apnea began during service, thus granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for recurrent headaches and remanded the claims of hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found no legal basis for the assigned schedular evaluations, effective dates, or determinations regarding service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for rosacea, asthma, enlarged prostate, chronic lower back pain, and major depressive disorder as secondary to service-connected acne have been granted. The claim for service connection for asthma has been denied.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his treatment records and a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his military service. The VA examiners did not address the risk factors for sleep apnea, including obesity and nasal congestion during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and treatment records, requiring a new VA examination to determine if any sleep disorder pre-existed service or is related to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sinus disability, sleep apnea, and heart disability due to incomplete VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to schedule the necessary examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for male infertility and obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical evidence addressing their etiology. The Veteran is requested to provide or authorize release of private treatment records, and a VA examination will be scheduled.

The Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea was not incurred in service and is not proximately due to, aggravated by, or the result of a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his sleep apnea is related to his service-connected deviated nasal septum.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for depression has been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, obstructive sleep apnea, and lung disability have also been reopened and granted.

The Board dismissed the appeals on the claims of service connection for sleep apnea and bilateral knee disorder due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded several claims due to the absence of treatment records, including for lumbar spine disability, gastrointestinal disability (claimed as hiatal hernia/GERD), and right knee disability. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are not considered primary causes of his current disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a right elbow disability and a left hip disability, finding that the Veteran's current pain is more likely than not linked to in-service injuries.,Service connection was also remanded for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence regarding its relation to service.

The Board has determined that the development conducted does not adequately comply with the directives of the April 2018 remand. Therefore, the case is being returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has remanded the claims due to lack of substantial compliance with its December 2017 remand. The AOJ is instructed to contact the Air Force Historical Research Agency and obtain any unit history and supporting documents related to the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicides while stationed in Guam.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine spondylosis with multilevel DJD and associated right lower extremity radiculopathy are rated at 20 percent. The Board finds that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of these disabilities.