Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a DRO hearing.

The Board denied service connection for right knee disability and sleep apnea as the evidence did not show these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's condition developed during his active duty service and is not due to a pre-existing condition. The evidence shows an increase in severity following deployment to Southwest Asia.

Service connection for ulcerative colitis is granted. The Veteran's sleep apnea is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his current disability picture.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, finding that it is related to his in-service injury and is not aggravated by a post-service injury. The claim was reopened due to new evidence submitted since the previous denial.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine is rated at 40 percent from June 7, 2017.

The Veteran's tinnitus and urticaria are granted service connection as they are related to his active duty service. The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for further examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the bilateral hearing loss disability claim. The remaining claims for service connection are remanded due to lack of verification of National Guard service and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and an increased rating are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current OSA and his service, specifically his weight gain and snoring during service.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disability caused by VA medical treatment, finding that the Veteran's polycythemia was not caused or aggravated by VA care and that his other conditions were unrelated to VA treatment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for breathing condition, sleep apnea, and various finger joint conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service event that would warrant service connection.,Service connection was not granted because the VA examiner found no current diagnosis of any respiratory condition and determined that the Veteran’s symptoms were related to aging and physical deconditioning. The Veteran's sleep apnea was also attributed to obesity, which developed post-service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of hypertension and PTSD, as well as his claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to PTSD. More contemporaneous examinations are needed to evaluate these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for depression and obstructive sleep apnea, both found to be aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities. The issues of increased ratings for left and right knee patellar tendonitis, service connection for supraventricular arrhythmia and high blood pressure are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for sleep apnea as it requires additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a medical examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from caring for some of his daily personal needs and rendered him unable to protect himself from the hazards or dangers incident to his daily environment. The Board finds that an effective date of October 14, 2011 is warranted for the grant of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to service or his deviated septum, and he needs a VA examination to determine this. The issue of whether PTSD aggravates his sleep apnea is also pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, is related to his service. Service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea are also granted as they are considered direct service-connected based on their relationship to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected mood disorder. The claims for left hip, right hip, and audiological disabilities are denied due to lack of current disability or no evidence linking the conditions to service. The claim for a right ankle disability is denied because there is no evidence it began during service or is related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's blindness is denied as not service-connected. A 100% rating for PTSD with major depression is granted from February 23, 2007 to January 13, 2015. SMC at the housebound rate is granted effective February 23, 2009.