Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board dismissed all issues on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain a VA examination for sleep apnea and to determine if it is related to service. The other issues of service connection remain under review.

The Board has determined that the appeal is remanded due to new evidence being added to the record after the May 2015 SOC.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 30 percent, but no higher, for left knee chondromalacia with degenerative arthritis is granted. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating due to the presence of flare-ups during which he cannot use his knee at all.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the onset and cause of the Veteran's sleep apnea, specifically whether it is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for sleep apnea and lower extremity radiculopathies. The remand also includes requests for effective date determinations and increased ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea had its onset during active service and is therefore granted as service connected.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, lumbar spine disability, obstructive sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and colon disorder is granted. The claims are subject to the laws and regulations governing monetary awards.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to her combat service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to his military service.,His claim for an increased rating for testicular cancer, status post right orchiectomy, remains pending and will be remanded due to insufficient medical evidence on file.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely PTSD) has been recharacterized but is still pending as the specific diagnosis of PTSD was not provided in his original application.

The Veteran's lumbar strain with lumbar DDD and IVDS has been rated as 20 percent disabling. The Board granted a 40 percent rating, subject to the laws and regulations governing the award of monetary benefits.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to a stroke and cerebral vascular disease, with obstructive sleep apnea as the contributory cause. The Board found that these conditions were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's appeal was granted for entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), and the other issues were denied or not addressed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including examinations to clarify diagnoses and determine etiology. The issues of service connection are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for a neck disability, bilateral radiculopathy of the upper extremities as secondary to service-connected neck disability, obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected back disability, and bilateral leg DVT as secondary to service-connected back disability. The Veteran's migraine headaches claim has also been reopened.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was diagnosed after service, but the Board finds that it is more likely than not incurred during her military service due to symptoms she reported and observed by others.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability may have worsened since the last VA examination in July 2015, and a new examination is needed to determine its current severity.

The Board has decided that the claims for service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder and obstructive sleep apnea need further development due to conflicting medical evidence and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran's tinnitus, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction are all granted as secondary to his service-connected conditions.,Service connection for an undiagnosed illness manifested by chronic fatigue is denied due to lack of qualifying chronic disability.