Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability, depression (secondary to service-connected tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and residuals of healed fracture), and his current left fourth metacarpal phalangeal disability have been remanded.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected depression and chronic pain conditions, which he uses opioid medications for. The Board granted the claim as it found that the Veteran's use of these medications caused or aggravated his sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to further development being necessary, including obtaining STRs and private medical records. The appeals are now pending again.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied. The claim for an initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD has been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and diabetes mellitus. The other claims were denied.

The Veteran requested to withdraw all his appeals regarding service connection for various conditions. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Board has determined that a VA examination and opinion are needed to determine the nature and etiology of any sleep apnea disability, including whether it is related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports, and a new examination is required to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including right and left knee disabilities, a left ankle disability, tinnitus, bronchitis, headaches (secondary to rhinitis), and sleep apnea. The claims are remanded for further development in several areas.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for additional development, including authentication of a submitted medical record and an examination to determine the etiology of his condition.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, an acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), and a lumbosacral spine disability due to lack of medical evidence showing current disabilities related to active service.,Service connection was also not granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the Veteran's in-service audiological evaluations were conducted using ASA standards which need to be converted to ISO-ANSI standards.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected PTSD, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the appellant's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, eye disability, skin disability (pseudofolliculitis barbae), sleep apnea, hypercholesterolemia, heart disability, COPD, lung disability other than COPD, diabetes mellitus, type II, hernia, low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability. The claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD and diabetes mellitus is granted. The claims for initial compensable ratings for allergic rhinitis, cataracts, and bilateral hearing loss are denied. The claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus remains denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for rhinitis and cataracts remain denied.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is currently at 100%, but he has not been granted a permanent and total disability rating for any of his service-connected conditions. The Board denies the claim as there is no legal basis to grant Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including sleep apnea, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of the Veteran's sleep apnea during his active duty service. The Veteran was diagnosed with sleep apnea in September 2011, and he submitted lay statements indicating that his symptoms had been present since his active duty service. However, the STRs do not show treatment for sleep apnea while on active duty, and a private medical report is deemed insufficient due to lack of review of specific periods of active duty service.

The Board finds that remand is necessary prior to adjudicating the claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient competent medical evidence on file.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected myxofibrosarcoma of the right leg, including rating claims and TDIU and SMC claims. The main issue is that there may be additional functional impairment not captured by current ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea. The claims for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded for additional development.