Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been reopened, but further development is needed to determine the etiology of his disorder. His current lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome disability requires a VA examination to assess its severity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Reiter’s syndrome has been granted. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea, to include as due to Reiter’s syndrome, is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Low Back Condition, and Gastrointestinal Disorder have been withdrawn.,Service connection has not been established for the Veteran's bilateral shoulder condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD and/or exposure to burn pits. The Veteran will need a VA examination to address these issues.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension. The evidence did not support a direct relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's respiratory disability, primarily bronchial asthma with sleep apnea, has not met the criteria for a higher evaluation than 30 percent prior to September 19, 2000 and 50 percent thereafter.,Service connection for TMJD is remanded as there was an improper reliance on a non-existent medical diagnosis in the previous examination.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea was denied due to lack of evidence relating the disorder to service or a service-connected disability. The claim has been reopened, but new and material evidence is not provided.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) was reopened due to new evidence indicating in-service stressors. A VA examination is needed to determine if the current condition is related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, ganglion cysts of the right thumb, and reopening a claim for right thumb soft tissue sarcoma and/or carcinoma. The claims are being remanded to allow for additional examinations and consideration.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all conditions and issues except hypertension, PTSD/Depressive Disorder with Memory Loss, sleep apnea, chronic fatigue syndrome, GERD, back disorder, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, right and left hand disabilities, diverticulitis, chronic constipation, urinary incontinence, arthritis of the entire body, fibromyalgia/arthralgia, erectile dysfunction, rhinitis, migraine headaches, fungus of the feet, sinusitis, hypercholesterolemia. The Board dismissed these appeals as per the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea due to additional development being required.

The Board dismissed the appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for transitional lumbosacral vertebra with facet arthropathy L5-S1 due to lack of jurisdiction. The left shoulder issue is remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is granted, but the Board finds that his PTSD does not cause or aggravate his current sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran’s claims of service connection for a right knee disability, seizure disorder, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, sleep apnea, TBI, headaches, seizure disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for further development.,No effective dates earlier than June 16, 2010 were granted for any of the conditions as there is no evidence of prior communications indicating intent to file a claim.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claim for a TDIU rating prior to June 9, 2009, is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea with fatigue, headaches, a lower gastrointestinal disability (IBS), a neck disability (cervical spine arthritis), and a low back disability (lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and facet arthropathy of L5-S1).,Service connection was also granted for a left shoulder disability (degenerative joint disease) based on the Veteran's reports of in-service injuries.

The Veteran's headaches are granted service connection, but his eye condition, skin condition and sleep disorder (OSA) claims due to herbicide exposure are denied.,Service connection for hyperlipidemia is also denied as it does not constitute a disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his active service or his service-connected PTSD, and thus remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, lumbago and paravertebral muscle strain with pain and muscle spasms, and residuals of a right shoulder rotator cuff tear due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.

The Board has granted the claim of service connection for a thoracolumbar condition, finding that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence in favor of a causal relationship between the Veteran's current thoracolumbar disability and his military service.