Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea should be remanded to allow for a VA examination and further development of the record.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and denied a request for an earlier effective date for the increased rating of sleep apnea. The Veteran's hypertension was not found to be related to his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea, and there is no evidence that he had hypertension within one year after discharge from service. The effective date for the 50% rating for sleep apnea was set at April 20, 2015.

The appeal for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity is dismissed. The issues of service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea but has remanded the heart disorder claim due to missing records and further examination.

The Board denied service connection for deviated nasal septum and sleep apnea syndrome as there was no evidence of an in-service event related to the conditions, and no nexus between his claimed disorders and military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for left ankle disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and depression. The claim of service connection for acne with scarring is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the acquired psychiatric disorder claim. The rating for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and a rating for chondromalacia of the left patella due to incomplete medical records and inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected, but his obstructive sleep apnea is found to be aggravated by PTSD.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus and a lower back condition are denied. Service connection for cervical spondylosis (claimed as neck condition) is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted on September 2, 2012. The Board found that the effective date should be set to this date due to the VA receiving the original claim on September 2, 2012.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service, including snoring and witnessed apneas during service in 1989, and his complaint of knee pain and sleep difficulties in November 1993. The examiner must also opine on whether the left knee disability aggravates or contributes to obesity.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and opinion regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder, and a respiratory condition due to asbestos exposure and welding fumes dust.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, to include as secondary to obstructive sleep apnea. The issues are being remanded due to a lack of VA treatment records and an incomplete medical opinion regarding the etiology of the conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that there was no nexus between his in-service injury and current disability. The Board also found that his service-connected left hip disability did not cause or aggravate his back disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for DDD of the lumbar spine, as well as a TDIU rating prior to September 11, 2014. The reasons include the Veteran's failure to report for VA examinations scheduled in conjunction with her claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was reopened and granted as secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis with deviated nasal septum.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient opinions regarding causation and aggravation of vertigo by service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and for an examination to determine if COPD is related to asbestos exposure or other in-service duties.

The appeal to reopen claims for shoulder, neck and back disorders as well as psoriasis and rosacea is granted. The appeals for right and left shoulder, cervical spine (neck), lumbar spine, and skin disorders are remanded.

The Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is granted as service-connected, with the Board resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD due to military sexual trauma, is also granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced on whether it was caused or aggravated by service.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was caused by his service-connected residuals from a fractured nose.

The Board has denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The Veteran's claim is being returned to VA for further development.