Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for alcohol abuse, an increased rating for anxiety disorder, and a TDIU due to unresolved issues. The skin disorder claim was reopened based on new evidence submitted since the last denial.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine and cervical spine disabilities have been rated at the maximum available rating of 20 percent, with a temporary increase to 100 percent during periods of convalescence. The appeals for higher ratings are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee patellofemoral syndrome and a TDIU prior to July 28, 2014 was dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied as his sleep apnea is not related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disorder and sleep apnea, finding no evidence of these conditions in service or within one year after discharge. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not linked to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is not etiologically related to service, including her service-connected back disability and major depressive disorder. The preponderance of evidence supports a finding that the condition developed due to obesity rather than any in-service event or exposure.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis. The Veteran also has separate ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy.,A separate compensable rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted prior to October 27, 2005, as a neurological manifestation of the service-connected lumbosacral strain.,A separate compensable rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy was granted prior to September 13, 2008, as a neurological manifestation of the service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining any gainful employment, and he is therefore denied a TDIU.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was diagnosed during active service and is considered to have developed there. The Board granted the claim for service connection based on direct evidence of a current disability, in-service incurrence, and a nexus between the two.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, and requests that updated VA treatment records be obtained as well as an examination.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, sleep apnea, and denied service connection for tinnitus and heart disability. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is linked to his active service, while sleep apnea is secondary to his now service-connected acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbosacral strain is denied. The Board also remanded the claims of service connection for PTSD and for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bilateral lower extremity paralysis secondary to surgical repair of an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that his current condition was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability resulted in a thoracolumbar range of motion greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees when considering pain, weakness, fatigability or incoordination. The Board denied the claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including for service connection and increased ratings.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and increased disability ratings on multiple conditions, including prostate cancer, shoulder disabilities, high blood pressure, hepatitis C, sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder, low back disability, knee instability, ankle disabilities, and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea and bilateral hand conditions, specifically whether these conditions are related to service or secondary to allergic rhinitis.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine disorders as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left wrist disability, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for straightening of the lordosis, sleep apnea, dermatitis, and syncope were denied. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.