Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to a service-connected disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea and found that she had a current diagnosis, in-service symptoms, and continuity of symptomatology. The Board also considered medical opinions from VA examiners who concluded that the condition was not incurred during service due to lack of evidence prior to separation. However, the Veteran's lay statements provided additional support for her claim.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection of a skin condition was granted. Service connection for OSA secondary to PTSD and tension headaches secondary to PTSD and OSA were both granted.,Service connection for PTSD is now rated at 70 percent, effective October 12, 2016.

The Veteran's DIC benefits were correctly calculated and paid, but the appellant is not entitled to additional compensation as her husband was only rated at 100% for less than eight years prior to his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for emphysema and obstructive sleep apnea, including as secondary to PTSD, were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability during service or within the presumptive period due to herbicide exposure, and there was insufficient medical nexus between the conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence in his STRs, including a lack of STRs and an incomplete VA examination. The AOJ must continue efforts to obtain the Veteran’s records and provide him with adequate examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused his obesity, which is an intermediate step between a service-connected disability and obstructive sleep apnea. The case will be returned for further examination and analysis.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA claims are remanded for further development, including obtaining private medical records and VA medical records. The VA’s Director of Compensation Service will consider the extraschedular consideration for TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no in-service diagnosis or relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 10, 2014 for the award of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The decision found that the correct facts were before the RO at the time of the December 2008 rating decision and that the existing legal authority was correctly applied.

The Board has remanded multiple issues including service connection claims, rating determinations for hearing loss and tinnitus, and the reopening of previously denied claims. The appeals are pending and will be addressed in a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including osteoarthritis in multiple joints and other conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability is denied as it is based on the same factual basis as his previously denied head injury claim. The claim to reopen this issue has been denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for PTSD is granted, with a 10% rating over the entire appeal period.,Service connection for duodenal ulcer disease with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is granted at a 20% rating over the entire appeal period. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating is remanded as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to insufficient evidence indicating its onset during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea. The bilateral foot disability claim is remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for Meniere’s disease and sleep apnea, but has remanded the claims for left knee disability and right knee disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was granted service connection. The appeals for the left knee and right knee disabilities were dismissed due to withdrawal of appeal by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disability and in-service experiences.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a back disability. The Veteran's left leg neuropathy is denied as secondary to his service-connected sinus disability, but remanded for further examination and opinion regarding sleep apnea.,Service connection for sleep apnea cannot be granted because there is no direct or presumptive evidence linking it to active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, MDD, and Sleep Apnea. The Veteran's claims were based on direct evidence of current diagnoses without a verified in-service stressor or other causative link.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, CVA residuals, OSA, ED, and vascular dementia due to incomplete records and conflicting medical opinions regarding their onset in service.