Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has decided that the earlier effective date for TDIU should be changed to January 10, 2015 and a new VA examination is required for sleep apnea.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a fatty liver and sleep apnea as secondary to a fatty liver due to additional delay, factual clarification, and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted. The effective date for a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD is granted from July 12, 2016. The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability was granted a 20% evaluation effective February 24, 2015. A separate 10% rating for right knee meniscal tear surgery and ACL reconstruction is also granted. The Veteran's right knee limitation of extension remains at a maximum 30% since January 31, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to and/or aggravated by a service-connected disability (specifically PTSD) and Gulf War exposure, is denied. The Board found that the evidence does not support a relationship between the Veteran's current sleep apnea and his active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's attempts to reopen his service connection claims for lumbosacral spine and right knee disabilities, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an initial compensable rating for rhinitis are both granted. The decision also notes that the Veteran has a nasal polyp associated with his rhinitis, but this does not warrant a higher rating as there is no evidence of rhinoscleroma.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right knee arthralgia, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, bronchitis, asthma, cardiovascular condition, gastrointestinal disability, skin disability, hair loss, neurologic symptoms in the upper extremities, and pulmonary vascular disease. The decision also granted an initial 20 percent rating for plantar fascial fibromatosis with hammertoe right foot and left foot starting December 21, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea, gastritis, and GERD is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to have had its onset during active duty service, and the Board grants his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected disabilities of residuals of bladder cancer and/or diabetes mellitus, type II is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether OSA is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and chronic fatigue syndrome have been denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete STRs and a need for a VA examination regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea, including his exposure to burn pit fires in the Persian Gulf.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for hearing loss and hypertension, but granted them on the basis that new evidence had been submitted. It also denied the Veteran's petitions for service connection for kidney condition, skin condition, obstructive sleep apnea, PTSD, and lower extremity diabetic neuropathy with radiculopathy (associated with lumbar degenerative joint disease with IVDS L4/5). The effective date for the award of service connection for PTSD was set at September 14, 2015.

The appeal for service connection for gout and hypothyroidism has been dismissed.,The previously denied claim for sleep apnea was reopened, but not granted.,Service connection for sleep apnea is granted as it began during the Veteran's military career.,Service connection for hypokalemia is denied as there is no evidence of a disability resulting from service.,Service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is denied due to lack of qualifying signs and symptoms under 38 C.F.R. § 4.88a.,Service connection for the disability manifested by chronic pain/muscle and joint pain/right arm pain is not granted as it does not meet the criteria for an undiagnosed illness in Southwest Asia.,Service connection for sinusitis is denied.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected persistent depressive disorder with anxiety disorder. The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for further evaluation regarding its relationship to his service-connected condition.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sinusitis disability is rated at 50 percent, but has remanded for further examination and opinion regarding sleep apnea, hypertension, and a psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 10% and denied for an evaluation in excess. His obstructive sleep apnea has not been found to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions are remanded due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions. The claim for a higher rating for tinnitus is denied as the current schedular rating is adequate.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but has remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to PTSD.