Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's current sleep apnea had its onset in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct or secondary service connection for OSA, and that his thoracolumbar spine disability did not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and PTSD have been granted service connection, but hypertension remains unresolved. The Board denied the claim for hypertension.

The Board found that the Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea was not incurred during active duty service, is not otherwise related to active duty service, and was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to address his claims of service connection for glaucoma, an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, emphysema, and heart disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea and hypertension are not service connected as secondary to her service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension based on the determination that the evidence of record was against a finding that his hypertension manifested during, or was otherwise etiologically related to, his active military service. The additional evidence received since the December 2014 Board decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not etiologically related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied entitlement to higher ratings for the Veteran's low back and cervical spine disabilities on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the Veteran's reports of worsening service-connected conditions. The issues on appeal include a claim for an increased evaluation for lumbosacral strain, a request for a compensable evaluation for right ankle sprain, and a TDIU claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the claims of right elbow, left elbow, and left foot plantar fasciitis.,A left knee disorder is related to a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, heart disability, and skin disorder. This includes obtaining relevant medical records, arranging for examinations, and ensuring all necessary information is considered in making a determination.

The Board has determined that there is at least a 50% likelihood that the Veteran's OSA began during his active service, and therefore grants service connection for OSA.

The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any reports of headaches, psychiatric disorders, or obstructive sleep apnea during active service. There is no evidence of these conditions in VA and private outpatient treatment records dated from 2008 to 2016.,Service connection for headaches, a psychiatric disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea cannot be established as there is insufficient evidence linking any current disabilities to the Veteran's period of active service.

The Veteran's back disability was rated at 40% effective June 21, 2016. The RO granted a separate rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine with IVDS.

The Veteran has withdrawn his claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain with radiation to the left thigh and cervical spine degenerative joint disease with left trapezius strain, and therefore these issues are dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee disabilities, venous insufficiency, hypertension, sleep apnea, and morbid obesity. The decision found that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral spine and left knee disabilities were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current manifestations of these conditions.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain has been rated at 20 percent since June 2007. The VA examinations have consistently shown forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to be greater than 30 degrees, with no evidence of ankylosis or IVDS.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is currently rated at 40 percent, effective October 12, 2009. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable.