Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's respiratory conditions, including asthma, COPD, and obstructive sleep apnea, are not service-connected as they were not shown during active duty or due to exposure to smoke, gas, lead paint, paint thinner, and asbestos.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period prior to August 11, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The temporary total evaluation based on a service-connected disability requiring a period of convalescence (total temporary evaluation) is denied as there is no service connection for a cervical spine condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected lumbosacral strain, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the bilateral knees, and hemorrhoids were denied as a matter of law due to his failure to report for VA examinations.,For the period prior to February 19, 2014, the Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied because he failed to provide good cause for refusing VA examination requests.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus are all found to be related to his active service.,PTSD is rated at 50 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to diabetes mellitus, but denied service connection for glaucoma secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's headaches, depressive disorder, and sleep apnea are service-connected. The right knee disability claim is reopened but not granted. Service connection for hypertension is denied as it was not shown to be related to active duty. TBI is also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction are not related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities, thus denying both claims.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to have had its onset during service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and hypertension were both found to be service-connected. The additional compensation for lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease with neurological impairments was also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities combine to preclude substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service connected disabilities. Therefore, TDIU is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea, foot disorders, knee disorders, ankle disorder, and headache disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and Shy-Drager syndrome, finding no causal nexus to his active service or service-connected conditions.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for the claimed conditions, including sleep apnea, digestive disorder, GERD, and large intestine and bowel condition. The Veteran's current diagnoses were determined to be not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, as there are indications it may be related to service or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, mild scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, anterolisthesis L5-S1 (lumbar spine disability), and a 20 percent rating for his service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's status post left total knee replacement is rated at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of recent VA examination and incomplete Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ). A new examination is required to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and lumbosacral spine disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it was not incurred in or related to active service and is not secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's lumbosacral degenerative disc disease has not been manifested by forward thoracolumbar flexion limited to 61 degrees or less, or by a combined range of thoracolumbar motion limited to less than 121 degrees, or by muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour such as scoliosis, reversed lordosis, or abnormal kyphosis. Therefore, the Veteran's lumbosacral degenerative disc disease does not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected PTSD.