Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and kidney stones were denied. The claim for initial disability rating for coronary artery disease prior to September 5, 2018 was granted with a staged rating from that date forward.,The Veteran's claims for initial disability ratings in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II prior to September 5, 2018 were denied. The reduction of the initial disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II from 20 percent to 10 percent effective September 5, 2018 was upheld.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to May 28, 2014 for service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II were denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to the need for updated clinical records and examinations of the Veteran's service-connected left Achilles tendon injury, lumbosacral strain, and eustachian tube dysfunction.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions such as cervical spine disability, fibromyalgia, bilateral knee and hip disabilities, sleep apnea, headaches, and digestive disorders. The reasons for these remands include insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the claimed conditions and the Veteran's military service.,The issues of service connection are being addressed due to a lack of sufficient evidence or reasoning provided by VA examiners in previous examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical records, including those from his time in VA care between 1981 and 1990. He also needs to undergo VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's GERD is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset during service and whether it was aggravated by his PTSD.,The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded because the examiner did not address the Veteran’s statements about symptoms during service and failed to consider private treatment records for a diagnosis in 2011.,The Veteran's sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea and upper respiratory disorder, is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset during service and whether it was related to his rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues regarding sleep apnea, left inguinal hernia, sinus or respiratory disability, cervical spine disorder, numbness in the left hand/fingers, and left eye surgery. The right inguinal hernia with scar issue is also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from February 16, 2016, to September 10, 2017. The TDIU is granted during this period and the appeal for a temporary total evaluation due to hernia repair is remanded.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia, acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder), recurrent kidney stones, and low back disability are all granted. The Veteran is also awarded a TDIU.

The claim of service connection for sleep apnea is reopened, but the case is remanded as there is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a separate rating for sleep apnea associated with service-connected bronchial asthma was denied. The Board also found the evidence insufficient to determine if allergic rhinitis is related to service or service-connected conditions, and thus remanded these issues.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected bilateral knee disability did not contribute to his death and was not a primary or contributory cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records, particularly regarding her service-connected foot disabilities. The appeals will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea and lumbar spine degenerative joint disease due to a lack of VA examinations. The cases are now pending for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is not related to his in-service trouble sleeping or major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, a right knee disorder, and hypertension is denied. The appeal for service connection for a left knee disorder and a respiratory disorder is remanded.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied as the preponderance of evidence does not support its onset during or related to active duty service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a right knee disorder, and hypertension are also denied due to lack of current disability for VA purposes. The appeal for service connection for a left knee disorder and respiratory disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased rating were denied because he did not file a timely notice of disagreement with the January 2015 rating decisions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for an addendum opinion regarding chemical exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, secondary to allergic rhinitis and hypertension is granted. The claim for a compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis is denied.

The Veteran's Parkinson’s Disease is granted as it is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on in-service noise exposure and current diagnosis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence suggesting a possible link between the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and his OSA, as well as incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran is asked to provide lay statements from family members or fellow veterans who observed symptoms during service. A VA examiner will be requested to provide medical opinions regarding whether PTSD has caused or aggravated OSA.