Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's insomnia is at least as likely as not related to his military service. The decision on whether service connection is warranted for obstructive sleep apnea will be addressed in a separate remand.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete examination reports and addendum opinions. The Veteran's claims of service connection for coronary artery disease, restless leg syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea and low back disorder are not related to his military service, but granted service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not causally or etiologically related to service, and it does not result from his service-connected PTSD and/or TBI.

The Veteran's low back disability, including associated radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, has been rated at 20 percent since July 18, 2011. The evidence prior to that date did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board finds that the Veteran's sleep apnea first manifested during his active service and is related to his military service, granting service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and providing VCAA notice regarding service connection on a secondary basis.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and heart disability due to further development being necessary.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded due to ambiguities in the previous opinions and a need for further clarification on whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's hypersomnia has been rated at 80 percent since March 24, 2014. The Board found that the Veteran experiences more than 10 minor seizures of hypersomnia per week, which warrants a higher rating.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed sleep apnea had its onset during his period of active duty service, and the Board finds that it is etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for myopic presbyopia, right knee disability as secondary to left knee degenerative joint disease status post arthroscopic repair, and sleep apnea have been denied. The evidence submitted since the last final denial is considered cumulative or redundant.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for sleep apnea and diverticulitis have been withdrawn. The remaining claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, left eye ischemic optic neuropathy, left great toe amputation, peripheral neuropathy, and an earlier effective date for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his active service or any service-connected disability, including PTSD, CAD, and type II diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The right shoulder disability claim remains pending as a new examination was ordered.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left ear hearing loss disability, and a pulmonary disorder. The decision found that there was no current hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to specified dates for various service connection determinations. The appeals are dismissed.

The Veteran's low back condition and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been rated based on their current manifestations, with the highest rating of 40 percent for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity as of September 11, 2012.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's headache disorder, restless leg syndrome, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of her service-connected back and knee disabilities.