Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA or private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on various service-connected conditions have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and consideration of his claims for DDD of the lumbar spine, right shoulder spurring, and chronic obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred in or related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain and finds that he is entitled to service connection based on a pre-existing condition aggravated by active duty.

The Board has reopened the claims for residuals of a left knee injury, hemorrhoids, sleep apnea (recharacterized as an acquired psychiatric disorder), and PTSD. However, service connection cannot be established as the Veteran's conditions are not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability. The remaining claims of service connection for right hip, GERD, and skin disabilities are remanded as the Veteran has not been provided a VA examination to assess these conditions.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was not manifest in service and is not otherwise related to service. The Board finds that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not etiologically related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, and sleep apnea conditions. The case will be returned for further action.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea had onset in service or is otherwise causally connected to active service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70 percent rating effective June 14, 2016. He is also entitled to TDIU prior to May 25, 2016.,The Veteran's chronic frontal sinusitis was granted an increased rating to 50 percent effective February 10, 2012.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is at least aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The Board finds that the criteria for secondary service connection are met.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and major depressive disorder, and an initial rating of 70 percent for major depressive disorder. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was withdrawn by the Veteran. TDIU is also granted.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain, bilateral sacroiliitis, and retrolisthesis of the coccyx are currently rated at 20 percent disabling. The rating is maintained as there were no incapacitating episodes requiring bed rest prescribed by a physician.

The Board has decided the case needs further development and remand due to issues with the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, specifically regarding its onset during service or its relation to sinusitis.

The Veteran is found unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board grants an extraschedular TDIU.

The Board denied the claim for service connection of glioblastoma/gliosarcoma, finding that there was no causal link between the Veteran's military service and his diagnosis. The medical evidence did not indicate a causal relationship to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of sleep apnea has been dismissed as he requested to withdraw the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his back disability from August 26, 2009 to August 3, 2011 was denied as the evidence did not show forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his back disability from August 4, 2011 was denied as the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine.