Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine strain was found to be manifested by limited motion, pain, and weakness. The VA determined that the current rating of 40 percent for his condition as of August 20, 2013, is appropriate.

The Board found that there is insufficient evidence to support a finding of service connection for the Veteran's respiratory disorder, including asbestosis and pulmonary fibrosis. The weight of the evidence does not support a diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been rated as 60 percent since March 9, 1998.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines and sleep apnea make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) beginning October 20, 2014 is denied as there are no allegations or evidence of unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been evaluated as noncompensable, with no evidence of a compensable disability rating.,There is insufficient evidence to establish service connection for sleep apnea. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current sleep disorder is related to his military service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for leukemia or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has also been denied as there is no medical evidence showing he currently suffers from these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorder, and readjudicating the claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, and radiculopathy disabilities are not related to his military service or any service-connected disability. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain service treatment records and private medical records, as well as VA examination opinions addressing the etiology of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and clarification of medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic pancreatitis, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome in the cervical spine. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not causally or etiologically related to his service-connected disabilities, and thus denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records, providing examinations to assess his acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, and bronchial asthma, and issuing a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the underlying claim of service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability can be adjudicated on the merits.

The Veteran's PFB warrants a 60 percent initial rating based on constant or near-constant systemic therapy. The other claims are either denied or not addressed in the decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, and hypertension have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the previously denied claim of tinnitus. The issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension are remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's current back disability is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection. For ischemic heart disease, the Board determined that a rating in excess of 30 percent was not warranted prior to June 21, 2012, but from June 21, 2012 through July 24, 2015, the disability more nearly approximated a workload of greater than 5 METs with left ventricular ejection fraction between 60 and 65 percent. Beginning July 25, 2015, the rating was not in excess of 30 percent.