Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, which is secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder, has been remanded due to the inadequacy of the previous VA opinion and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including addressing service connection claims and rating issues.,Service connection for CFS was denied as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or link to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease is granted with application of equitable tolling. The rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is increased to 40 percent, effective from November 19, 2008. The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are denied. A TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings are being remanded due to the failure of VA to contact him at his new address in Georgia. The examinations scheduled for June 2018 have not been conducted, and a copy of the Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) was sent to two prior addresses in South Carolina.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, right knee disability, and left knee disability are all granted. The Board affirms the grant of service connection for a lower back disability based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, finding that there was no evidence of exposure to herbicides or other hazardous materials during his military service and that the conditions were not related to his active duty.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, but has remanded it due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset and relationship to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to new evidence being added to the claims file, and the Veteran did not waive initial consideration of this evidence by the AOJ.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, OSA, and CVA were denied. The effective date of the grant of service connection for PTSD was dismissed as a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) was not filed.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD due to the lack of a current diagnosis. The claim for service connection for sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia disorder, is remanded as there are insufficient opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left shoulder disabilities have not been service-connected.,Service connection for the spine, knee, hip, and depression conditions has also not been established. The effective dates of these determinations are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was reopened and granted.,The reduction in the disability rating from 20 percent to 10 percent for the Veteran’s service-connected left knee partial meniscectomy is granted, effective February 1, 2010. However, the propriety of this reduction remains under review as a separate issue.,Ratings in excess of 10 percent are denied for the Veteran's service-connected left knee DJD, right knee residuals of partial anterior cruciate ligament deficiency and meniscus tear, and right knee DJD.

The Board denied service connection for OSA, tachycardia, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), residuals of a shrapnel wound to the head, and a right knee disability. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were otherwise related to in-service injuries or diseases.,The Board found no indication of any current disabilities for OSA, tachycardia, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), residuals of a shrapnel wound to the head, and a right knee disability. The Veteran's statements regarding these conditions were not credible.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea with hypersomnia is currently rated at 50 percent and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of chronic respiratory failure or cor pulmonale.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD.,Ischemic heart disease and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are denied due to lack of current diagnoses.,PTSD is granted with an initial rating of 50 percent, but no higher.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence on whether sleep apnea is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder and fibromyalgia.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea. The claim will be reconsidered with a new examination and opinion.

The reduction of the rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes from 20 to 10 percent, effective May 9, 2016, was not proper; the 20 percent rating is restored. The increased rating in excess of 20 percent for a low back disability is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea and other sleep disabilities.