Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for low back disorder, neck disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, obstructive sleep apnea, COPD, and nasal condition.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a neck disability, an acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety, adjustment disorder, depression, and PTSD), GERD, and sleep apnea due to inextricably intertwined issues. The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric condition could significantly impact decisions on his secondary service connection claims for GERD and sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck and back disabilities, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful occupation, as his sleep apnea, voiding dysfunction, tinnitus, and hearing loss do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea did not have its onset during a period of active service or ACDUTRA, and was clearly and unmistakably preexisting his third period of active service. The condition was not aggravated beyond its natural progression during this period.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for colon cancer, earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and an earlier effective date for a 40% rating for bilateral hearing loss have been withdrawn.,The claim for reopening of a previously denied claim of service connection for asthma has been granted. The claim for reopening of a previously denied claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder has also been granted.,Service connection for hypertension has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and other disabilities have rendered her unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, leading the Board to grant TDIU.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for left shoulder, back, right ankle, and sleep disorder (to include sleep apnea) service connection. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for an achilles tendon disability. The Veteran's sleep apnea was granted as service connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, low back condition, and left knee condition due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The appeal to reopen a claim for service connection for esophageal cancer is granted. The claims of entitlement to service connection for esophageal cancer and sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, right hip disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and right shoulder disability due to unclear periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary for the Veteran's sleep apnea claim due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to service. The Veteran will need to provide any relevant medical records and undergo an examination to determine if he has a current diagnosis of sleep apnea and whether it is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for the issues of increased ratings for his service-connected left shoulder disability, left ankle degenerative joint disease, and effective date prior to September 23, 2014.,The reduction of benefits for service-connected lumbosacral spondylosis from 40 percent to 10 percent disabling effective April 1, 2015 is found to be improper and void ab initio.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional medical records, as well as to determine if there is any link between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities on an extraschedular basis for the period prior to July 22, 2014.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD and/or IHD, and whether any dental disability is related to his service or service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including hypertension and unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to attorney fees and a TDIU award, including reviewing the May 2019 VA Form 9 submitted by the Veteran's attorney.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating for migraine headaches and related issues, as well as his TDIU claim. The Veteran needs to be provided with a VA examination to assess the severity of his migraine/tension headaches.