Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability. The gastrointestinal disability, diagnosed as dyspepsia and chronic diarrhea, is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected fibromyalgia. Effective dates prior to July 27, 2011, have been granted for the awards of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board has not yet issued a statement of the case on the issues of entitlement to earlier effective dates for lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's current sleep apnea disorder had its onset in service, and the Board finds that service connection is warranted for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current sleep apnea did not manifest during service and is not attributable to service. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied.

The Board has ordered a remand to consider additional evidence regarding the Veteran's lumbosacral strain prior to January 10, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a change in representation and other procedural issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, headache disability, and sleep apnea are all service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral patellar tendinitis (jumper's knee), bilateral shin splints, and elbow osteoarthritis. The remaining claims of service connection for sleep apnea, TBI including headaches and seizures, and a disorder of the thoracic and/or lumbar spine are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a diagnosis or treatment for this condition during service. The VA examiner opined that the current obstructive sleep apnea is less likely than not incurred in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Premature Ejaculation Disorder secondary to PTSD, as well as his initial disability ratings for right knee DJD, extension of temporary total evaluations, and rating for PTSD have all been denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, effective December 27, 2005. The rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran was granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected mild allergic rhinitis, with an effective date of March 21, 2012.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his lumbosacral spine and right knee disabilities were granted, but the rating for his lumbosacral spine was found to be inadequate.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his diabetes mellitus and obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of his sleep apnea.

The Board found that the Veteran's currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders were not present in service, were not manifested to a compensably disabling degree within the first year after discharge from service, and are not shown to be etiologically related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative disc disease lumbosacral spine and associated radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities are being remanded due to additional evidence received after the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board has determined that the criteria for service connection, a rating in excess of 10 percent for right patella tendon repair (knee), and a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain (back) have not been met during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and an addendum medical opinion addressing his respiratory conditions.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain updated VA and private treatment records, as well as to provide the Veteran with a VA examination to address his claims for hepatitis B and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an undiagnosed illness to include as due to Gulf War syndrome is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and opinion.