Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not shown to have first manifested in service or be causally related to any disease, injury, or incident during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's right ankle strain and low back condition (including lumbosacral disc disease and lumbar degenerative joint disease) were incurred in service.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for idiopathic microhematuria was denied as it is a laboratory finding and not a disability. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current disability for which service connection may be granted.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disorder was rated at 10 percent prior to August 5, 2015, and increased to 40 percent thereafter. The peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were not found to warrant higher ratings.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran's initial claims for service connection were received by VA less than one year after he separated from active service, and the disabilities originated while he was serving on active duty. The effective date of the awards is set to October 1, 2006.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin disorder, hypertension, mini-strokes, and peripheral neuropathy. The gastric disability claim was denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's OSA and COPD did not begin during service, were not caused by his military service, or have been caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability. As such, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and orthopedic conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain gainful employment since February 10, 2011. The Board has granted a TDIU rating from that date.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed pulmonary disabilities, including sarcoidosis, asthma, and sleep apnea, were not incurred in service or due to exposure to hazardous environmental conditions during the Persian Gulf War. The Board finds that there is insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was not granted any new or additional benefits.

The Board has granted the Veteran's service connection claims for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension, finding that these conditions are caused by his service-connected PTSD. The increased rating claim for PTSD is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a VA medical opinion to clarify whether his sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 50%, which does not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, he may be unemployable due to nonservice-connected conditions (tremors, anxiety, psychotic disorder, major depressive disorder, cardiac conditions). The Board finds that this unemployability is not related to his service-connected disabilities and thus denies the claim.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No rating decision was made as the issue of an initial compensable rating for obstructive sleep apnea is moot.

Service connection for sleep apnea and arthritis of the thumbs and all fingers of both hands has been granted.,The Veteran's current conditions are found to be directly related to his active service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increases in the staged ratings assigned for tinea versicolor, lumbosacral strain, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.