Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of her claimed conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for back condition and granted it. The decision also grants service connection for sleep apnea, with a compensable rating of 10 percent for residual scar on his left ring finger.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is service connected, but his heart condition, hypertension, and OSA are not service connected as they did not develop during active duty.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a noncompensable initial rating for tension headaches prior to June 18, 2015. He was subsequently awarded a 50 percent rating thereafter.,Service connection is also granted for left knee disability, but the evidence does not show any current disability of the left knee.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of degenerative disc disease (DDD) is related to an in-service injury, and thus service connection for DDD is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction, finding that these conditions were not shown during his active duty service or etiologically related to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70% rating effective April 29, 2013. The appeal for increased rating of PTSD remains in appellate status as the issue of service connection for sleep apnea was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee and back conditions, as well as hypertension, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise and resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, finding that his sleep apnea had its onset during active service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease (DDD) was granted. The separate ratings for LLE and RLE radiculopathy of the sciatic and femoral nerves were also granted, effective April 22, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral spine and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient examination reports and missing medical records.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in connection with these claims are inadequate and requires further examination to determine if service connection for anemia and obstructive sleep apnea is warranted.

The Veteran's back disability, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbosacral spine, is found to be related to his active service and thus granted service connection.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be caused by his service-connected thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease. The Board also finds that the Veteran has an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizoaffective disorder and depression, which is at least as likely as not related to his service or secondary to his service-connected thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea did not begin during service and is not related to any other in-service condition, including his service-connected chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. The opinion provided by the VA examiner found no causal relationship between the Veteran's current sleep apnea and his service or any other service-connected disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, and diabetes mellitus. The Board also found that his right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy do not warrant an increased rating.,The Veteran's right and left lower extremity peripheral artery disease were also denied as they did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating.

The Veteran's Rosai-Dorfman disease, sinus histiocytosis with enlarged lymph nodes is manifested by swollen lymph nodes that do not cause any functional impairment. The Board finds the preponderance of evidence supports a rating reduction from 100 percent to 0 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, characterized by forward flexion limited to 60 degrees at worst and no ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine, warrants a rating in excess of 20 percent.