Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional medical records, as there is no current evidence linking the Veteran's sleep apnea directly to his service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's respiratory disorders, including COPD and obstructive sleep apnea, are not service-connected as they are due to her long-term smoking habit rather than any in-service exposure or injury.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise, and therefore grants service connection for residuals of laryngectomy secondary to subglottal chondrosarcoma due to asbestos exposure during active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a sleep apnea disability, finding that there was no evidence to support an in-service onset or relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been reopened and granted. The Board found that the evidence, including lay statements from fellow service members and a 2015 sleep study, supports the conclusion that the Veteran had obstructive sleep apnea during his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and damage to teeth/cracked teeth (now claimed as an oral condition and bruxism) have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.,The claim for service connection for damage to teeth/cracked teeth (now claimed as an oral condition and bruxism) for treatment purposes has not yet been adjudicated by the AOJ or referred to the appropriate VAMC.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, loss of vision, and swelling of the left face. The claim for polyarthritis of the bilateral lower extremities is not supported by evidence showing a link to military service or an undiagnosed illness. Service connection for hyperinsomnia with sleep apnea was not addressed as it is attributed to a known diagnosed disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, vertigo, hypogonadism with metabolic syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and hypercholesterolemia due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their onset or aggravation during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings of his service-connected keloid scar and a separate rating for painful scar are granted. The Board also found that the Veteran is entitled to a higher disability rating for his service-connected keloid scar, but remanded for further development regarding his claim for service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is at least as likely as not related to his service aboard the U.S.S. Emory, including his diagnosed hay fever.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claim of reopening a previously denied claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, mood disorder, major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and impulse control disorder is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's cervical spine strain with degenerative spondylosis was denied as not caused by his in-service motor vehicle accident.,An increased rating more than 10 percent from January 26, 2015 and continuing thereafter for the lumbosacral spine disorder was denied due to limited range of motion.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for erectile dysfunction was denied. The claim to reopen left testicular atrophy was also denied, as the new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. A compensable rating for erectile dysfunction and right epididymitis were both denied. However, service connection for PTSD was granted with a 70% rating, effective from November 13, 2013.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension and remanded other issues related to service connection. The Veteran's claims are also remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing opinions regarding the service connection of sleep apnea and narcolepsy. The TDIU claim will also be deferred until these issues are addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the issues of service connection for residuals of eye injury, nasal disorder, left foot disorder, right foot disorder, and gastrointestinal disorder.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was not caused by his military service or his service-connected disabilities, including diabetes and PTSD. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations due to insufficient evidence in his claims file, particularly regarding his Reserve service records and treatment records. The Veteran is also required to provide private medical records related to his knee disabilities.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for a VA examination to determine if it had its clinical onset during service or is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection on a presumptive basis as it manifested within the one-year presumptive period following her separation from active service. The other issues were remanded for further action.