Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service, specifically his exposure to crude oil during the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989.

The Veteran's hemorrhoid disability is granted as service-connected. The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates and remanded several issues related to his spine, knees, hearing loss, sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, hypertension, varicocele, and epididymitis.

As new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability, the petition to reopen is granted. The appeal to reopen is granted. Entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to service connected reactive airway disease and depression is remanded. Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee degenerative joint disease is remanded. Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for residuals of left index finger fracture is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for PTSD, sleep apnea, hypertension, acid reflux, and erectile dysfunction due to in-service stressors and current medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability, left ear hearing loss, and lumbosacral spine strain require additional development due to incomplete examination reports and need for further medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and PTSD, and for a left shoulder disability as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The decision is based on the opinion of two equally qualified medical professionals who concluded that the Veteran’s conditions are proximately caused or aggravated by their service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for a kidney disability and remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to presumed herbicide agent exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling examinations to assess the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's OSA is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it began during service or is related to an incident of service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, which was previously denied due to lack of a nexus between the condition and active duty service. The Board also granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that there is continuity of symptoms since service separation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD and OSA due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's atrial fibrillation is secondary to his diabetes mellitus and PTSD, and alcoholism is also secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's service records indicate he had complaints of fatigue, left wrist pain, and numbness in his left thumb. He was diagnosed with a ganglion cyst on the right wrist which required surgery. The Board finds that additional examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.,VA will conduct further evaluations to assess whether the Veteran's osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left hand, and sleep apnea are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, peripheral venous insufficiency, psoriasis, and neurodermatitis (claimed as eczema) due to Gulf War environmental exposure are denied. The claim for relational problems secondary to lumbar strain myositis is also denied.,Service connection for hypertension, claimed as a cardiac condition, due to Gulf War environmental hazard is remanded.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, due to Gulf War environmental exposure, is remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for insomnia and sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), but remanded the claim for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's hearing loss is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has granted an initial 70 percent rating for PTSD, a TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, and denied service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions and denied reopening of his claims. However, it granted reopening of a claim for prostate cancer due to herbicide exposure and assigned an effective date of March 10, 2003.

The Board has found that a higher rating for right knee degenerative joint disease and separate ratings for limited extension and symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage are not warranted. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for an adequate VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence linking the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea to his service-connected hypertension and an in-service injury. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if there is at least a 50% probability that his current sleep apnea is related to these factors.