Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, lumbosacral strain, and various joint and hearing conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. A TDIU rating is granted.

The Board has found that the Veteran's sleep apnea and hemorrhoids had their onset during service, granting service connection for both conditions. However, his initial rating for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including low back disability, bilateral foot disability, lung disability, headache disability, LADD, erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, enlarged prostate condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD and remands for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected rheumatic fever with heart involvement and rheumatoid arthritis.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings prior to September 27, 2002 have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board denied the reopening of claims for obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction because there was no new evidence that related to these conditions occurring in service.

The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus was withdrawn during the October 2017 Board hearing. The claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition and a respiratory condition (claimed as asthma) have been reopened due to new and material evidence.,The remaining issues, including lumbar spine, bilateral knee, bilateral foot, sleep disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorders, are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a pulmonary disability, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and obesity/weight gain. The Board found that there was no evidence of a current disability in any of these conditions and that they were not related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has not made a decision on the service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, but has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral knee disability. The decision on sleep apnea is that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, including whether it is related to service or his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that further assistance is needed to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and lumbosacral strain are related, as well as to assess the severity of his lumbosacral strain.

The claim to reopen the service connection for sleep apnea is denied. The appeal for service connection of low back strain is remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for PPD converter, sleep disorder (now claimed as sleep apnea), PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is denied as there is no evidence of disease or injury in service.,The Veteran's low back disability does not meet the criteria for an increased rating higher than 60 percent, and his PTSD warrants a 70% initial disability rating but no higher.,The Veteran has been granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to newly obtained VA treatment records and a VA examination report. The claims include service connection for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease, erectile dysfunction, an acquired psychiatric condition (major depressive disorder), varicose veins of the left and right lower extremities, and sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and diabetes.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to determine if his sleep apnea is related to service, or if it is aggravated by his service-connected bronchial asthma and/or PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and degenerative changes is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional medical evidence.