Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted an initial rating of 70 percent since December 21, 2011. The effective date for this grant is the same as when service connection was initially established.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is not related to his service-connected allergic rhinosinusitis.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and bruxism due to insufficient medical opinions addressing secondary aggravation.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for lumbosacral strain with disc disease from June 17, 2008 to November 13, 2010. The Veteran's disability is rated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

Service connection for OSA and ED has been granted.,Service connection for a painful cyst disorder other than PFB, tinea versicolor of the chest, diverticulitis, and hemorrhoids has not been established.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD does not cause his current OSA, and a VA medical opinion is needed to determine if any in-service weight gain contributed to his current condition.

The Veteran's cervical strain and lumbosacral strain are not currently rated higher than the assigned percentages.,Prostate cancer status post radiation therapy, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and sleep apnea have specific rating criteria that do not allow for a greater rating under current regulations.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including fibromyalgia, prostate cancer, sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disorders, colon cancer, hiatal hernia, acid reflux, erectile dysfunction, skin disorder, and neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The Veteran's claims were based on direct service connection rather than presumptive exposure to herbicides or other conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as it is at least as likely as not related to her military sexual traumas. The other conditions are denied due to lack of current diagnoses or no link to service.

Service connection for depressive disorder with anxiety is granted. Service connection for sleep apnea, headaches, and a neck disorder are denied. The rating for degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder remains remanded.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence linking it to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disability, but the claims of asthma and sleep apnea remain pending as they were not decided in this decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sinusitis and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's lay statements and buddy statements suggest potential service connection, but a VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection of a right lower leg disability, but the issues related to his lumbosacral strain, headache disability, right patellar enthesophyte (right knee condition), and increased rating for left knee chondromalacia remain remanded for further development.

The Veteran's hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea were both found to have onset during service, leading to their grant of service connection. The Board also granted remand for further examination on the left knee disability and pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence linking his current diagnosis to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset and cause. The Veteran's service treatment records show an elevation in his diaphragm, which could be related to obesity or other factors. The examiner is requested to provide a thorough opinion on whether the Veteran’s sleep apnea began during active duty, was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities (hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II), and if obesity played a role in causing or aggravating his condition.

The Veteran's claim to reopen a service connection for low back condition is granted. The issues of service connection for GERD, RLS, and sleep apnea are remanded. The issue of rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, onychomycosis, and hypertension is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and numbness/tingling of the hands due to incomplete information in the VA examinations. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.