Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's sleep apnea is related to service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the etiology of any diagnosed skin disability, migraines, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's current sleep apnea is caused by his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities, specifically left ankle sprain and patellofemoral pain syndrome of each knee. The headaches are considered secondary to the service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current sleep apnea did not become manifest in service or for many years thereafter and is not shown to be related to service. The claim for increased rating for hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is rated at 40% from December 2, 2011. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his sleep disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including pseudofolliculitis barbae, acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral knee and hearing loss, burn scar disability, obstructive sleep apnea, TBI, high blood pressure, back disability, and tinnitus. The effective date for the grant of service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae was not earlier than September 27, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for her service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine with stenosis is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a comprehensive VA orthopedic examination.

The Veteran's appeal of increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities was withdrawn. The claim for headaches, to include migraines, is denied as there is no evidence that the current headache disorder began during or is related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her lumbosacral spine disability, finding that the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 20 percent. The issue of entitlement to TDIU based on major depressive disorder remains pending.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues on appeal, and thus the appeal is dismissed.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea did not manifest in service and is not otherwise related to his military service, including exposure to asbestos therein. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea and a kidney disability, finding that there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current sleep apnea is related to his service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbosacral strain with spondylolisthesis was withdrawn, and the Board dismissed the appeal due to this withdrawal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as he does not have the required auditory threshold levels to meet the definition of a hearing loss disability under VA regulations. The claims for increased evaluations for his cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities are remanded for further examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain was incurred during active duty service and grants her claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and consideration of a TDIU claim. The current rating for lumbosacral strain needs to be reassessed, and the TDIU request must await resolution of the lumbosacral strain issue.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to his withdrawal of this claim. The remaining claims regarding PTSD and diabetes mellitus are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that these conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to cause the Veteran's death. The independent medical opinion concluded that the service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to the Veteran's death.