Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of his lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's bowel and bladder dysfunction is associated with his service-connected lumbar spine disability, warranting service connection on a secondary basis.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal of service connection for sleep apnea due to withdrawal by his attorney. The rating for bilateral pes planus remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes was granted a 40 percent disability rating effective February 17, 2016. The Board found that the evidence supported this increased rating based on his ongoing symptoms and functional limitations.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found to have had its onset during service and continues today, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including right shoulder, left shoulder, left elbow, lumbosacral spine, left knee, and right knee conditions, are not related to his military service. The acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) is also not found to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea disability did not manifest during service or is otherwise related to his active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology, and there is no medical opinion linking the current sleep apnea to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred or aggravated by service, including as secondary to his service-connected chronic sinusitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, and thus grants his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable or unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability has not been manifested by unfavorable ankylosis, and the right lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral and sciatic nerves has not met the criteria for a higher rating. The TDIU issue is denied.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions including sleep disorders and a heart condition. He also seeks an initial compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran claims he has a heart murmur that was incurred in service or due to his now service-connected disabilities, but the VA examiner found no pre-existing heart disorder at entry into service.,The Veteran contends that he has GERD which is related to military service. The VA examiner determined there is no evidence-based medical literature associating GERD with exposure to infectious agents from the Gulf War.,The Veteran claims his chiari malformation was aggravated by service, but the VA examiner found it congenital in origin and not aggravated during active duty.,The Veteran seeks an initial compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss. The most recent examination is over 5 years old.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing. The Board will schedule the requested hearing at the RO.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and respiratory disability (including Valley Fever/coccidiomycosis and OSA), finding that new and material evidence was received. The Veteran's OSA is found to be proximately due to his service-connected sinusitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and tinnitus are service-connected, with both conditions having a direct link to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vision and respiratory disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature of his current eye and breathing conditions, as well as their relationship to service.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, impotency, skin rash, sleep apnea, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development of the record and reconsideration of the claims due to errors in obtaining relevant records, including SSA disability benefits records. The Veteran's assertions regarding his alleged visit to Vietnam while a supply clerk are also being verified.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep disorder is not related to his active duty service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence establishing a direct or secondary relationship between his current condition and active service.