Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence to support the assertion that his active duty service caused or contributed to his death.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent before July 20, 2016 and 20 percent from July 20, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it was not incurred in or caused by his active duty service and was not aggravated by his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Veteran's back disability was rated at 10% from March 1, 2010 to February 10, 2012. From February 10, 2012, the rating was increased to 20%. The TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection for colon cancer is denied as there is no evidence of its onset during service or due to any in-service exposure.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied as it did not begin during service and there is no evidence linking it to service, including Agent Orange exposure.,The Veteran's skin disease is presumed to be caused by his service in Vietnam, but the evidence does not support a finding that it began during service or was otherwise caused by such service.,Service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy is denied as there is no evidence linking it to service, including Agent Orange exposure. The condition did not manifest within one year of presumed exposure.,The Veteran's back disability is not linked to his service and the evidence does not support a finding that it began during service or was otherwise caused by such service.,Service connection for a mental disorder is denied as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's right acromial clavicle separation, combined with his service-connected back disability and mental disorder, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation after his 1984 injury. The case is remanded for referral to the Director of Compensation Services for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU on an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to insufficient medical opinions and the need for additional examination. The issues include right elbow, left knee, and right knee conditions; PTSD; sleep apnea; hypertension; gastrointestinal condition; acid reflux; erectile dysfunction; neuropathy; diabetes mellitus; and heart condition.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral senile cataract (claimed as vision and eye disorder, residual from 2003 infection) are all denied.,Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is denied. The Veteran's GERD is not shown to be related to service or a service-connected condition.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is denied. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not shown to be related to service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is related to his service or a service-connected condition, specifically hypertension.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for bilateral knee disability, bilateral foot disability, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depressive disorder, is granted service connection. The initial disability rating for obstructive sleep apnea remains at 50%. The initial disability rating for ischemic heart disease remains at 10%. For the period prior to April 18, 2014, the initial disability rating for ulcerative colitis is granted at 60%. The initial compensation rating for residuals of bilateral inguinal hernias remains at 0%.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues of service connection for cardiovascular disorders, kidney disorders, strokes/TIAs, and sleep apnea due to herbicide exposure are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, a bilateral knee condition, a bilateral leg condition, sleep apnea, and a liver condition (secondary to pain medication for a bilateral knee condition). The claims for a bilateral upper extremity condition are also remanded. Additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran’s complete service personnel records.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: service connection for a recurrent sleep disorder including obstructive sleep apnea, and an initial compensable rating for the Veteran’s bilateral hearing loss. The decision is based on the need for further VA evaluations due to incomplete medical records and the potential relationship between the disabilities and active service.

The Veteran's depression, sleep apnea, left and right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndromes have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, left ear hearing loss, gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, fatigue, multi-joint and muscle pain, low back disorder, neurological disorders of the bilateral lower extremities, and bilateral knee disorder have all been denied.,The Board found that there was no evidence linking any of these conditions to service or qualifying Persian Gulf Service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, and GERD. Effective December 30, 2011, the Veteran was awarded service connection for fibromyalgia, asthma, and cold induced urticaria with a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition has been reopened, and the rating of 10 percent for left knee subluxation has been restored. The appeal regarding sleep apnea is denied as it is not related to service or a service-connected disability. Service connection for left hip, left ankle, and right ankle conditions are remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of rating cervical spine and lumbosacral spine disabilities, as well as the TDIU claim due to lack of recent VA examinations and incomplete SSA records.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, effective October 26, 2017. The issue remains on appeal for a higher rating prior to that date.,TDIU was granted from August 2010 to prior to October 26, 2017.