Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed bilateral loss of vision is not related to service and denied his claim.

The Board denied all increased rating claims for the Veteran's service-connected conditions, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete opinions regarding the etiology of sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, which are service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected PTSD and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran submitted new and material evidence to reopen her claim of service connection for retinitis pigmentosa, which was previously denied in 1984. The Board determined that the presumption of soundness did not apply because the issue had already been decided on its merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea did not have its onset in service and is not related to his service-connected PTSD. Therefore, the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is denied.

The Veteran's sinusitis and OSA are rated as residuals of his service-connected nasal surgery. The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for sinusitis, a separate 50 percent rating for OSA, and denied a compensable rating for the deviated septum.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's loss of balance is a symptom of his service-connected bilateral chronic otitis media with postoperative residuals, scar. Therefore, he does not have a separate disability for which service connection can be granted.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is currently rated at 30 percent, effective from March 7, 2011. The claim for service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected conditions or caused by any in-service event, injury, disease, or disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death was due to his active military service, specifically exposure to herbicides during his tour in Okinawa. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board grants TDIU.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for lumbosacral DDD status post spinal fusion with spondylosis, previously claimed as back injury. The new evidence submitted by the Veteran is sufficient to reopen the claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran's sleep apnea had its onset during active service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from the May 2016 VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected PTSD and any relationship to alcohol abuse.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inconsistencies in the October 2014 VA examination report and conflicting views of the facts. The appellant's statements regarding his allergy symptoms prior to service are unclear, and a medical opinion is needed to determine if his hay fever was aggravated beyond its natural progression during active duty training.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no left ear hearing loss disability and concluded that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including left knee, cervical spine, psychiatric, and stomach surgery disabilities. The Board finds that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's asthma and sleep apnea were not incurred or aggravated during active service, nor are they related to her service-connected allergic rhinitis.,Both conditions were diagnosed many years after separation from service.