Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing. The issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea syndrome and flat feet are still under consideration.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and low back disorder are not service-connected. The Board denied secondary service connection for both conditions, as the VA examiners found no link between PTSD and these disorders.

The Veteran's chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc changes and subjective radiculopathy has been rated at 20 percent since the date of service connection, March 31, 2010.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for additional medical opinions to address the impact of his service-connected scoliosis on his other thoracolumbar spine disabilities and any possible neurological complications.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD and higher initial ratings for his lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities. The appeal is currently pending.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar disc disease and radiculopathy of the lower left extremity, effective June 12, 2009. The Veteran's claim was reopened due to new evidence received since the February 2003 rating decision.

The Board has found that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's service connection claims for asthma and obstructive sleep apnea. The claim of entitlement to service connection for asthma is granted, while the claim for obstructive sleep apnea remains pending as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a deviated septum and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty. The claims are therefore granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip disorder and OSA was denied. The Board found no evidence of these conditions during her active duty or post-service treatment records.,An effective date prior to March 26, 2015, for the grant of service connection for left hip strain is not warranted as there are no earlier claims for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a new examination if necessary. The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hearing loss will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected allergic rhinitis.

The Board has ordered a supplemental medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Board found no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran's right salivary gland cancer or sleep apnea is related to his military service, including exposure to chemicals during service in Southwest Asia. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran requested to withdraw the appeal regarding service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to hypertension. The Board has dismissed the appeal.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain an opinion regarding the etiology of his sleep apnea and whether it is caused or aggravated by medication for service-connected right foot arthritis. Additionally, proper VCAA notice must be provided regarding the secondary aspect of his claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated during service, and thus denied these claims. The claim for retinitis pigmentosa remains pending as it was not addressed in the April 2016 remand.

The Veteran's claimed conditions were not service connected as they are either attributed to known clinical diagnoses or do not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to exposure in the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for recurrent inguinal hernia status post hernioplasty, entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for a residual scar of the right hernioplasty, and entitlement to a 10 percent evaluation based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his service-connected conditions and denied the claim.