Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of a direct relationship between the claimed conditions and service, thus denying all claims for service connection.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was initially rated at 10 percent from March 6, 2007 to January 6, 2008. From January 7, 2008 to March 14, 2013, the rating was increased to 20 percent. Since March 15, 2013, a higher rating of 40 percent has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his current sleep disorder, including whether it is related to service-connected PTSD or an undiagnosed illness. The examiner should also assess if the Veteran has a chronic undiagnosed disability related to Gulf War service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for sleep apnea, previously claimed as sleep disturbances, to include as due to undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1117.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is currently evaluated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The evidence shows forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 60 degrees or more during his VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and obstructive sleep apnea. The left shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent, while the right ankle disability was also rated at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea is related to his active service, including exposure to smoke and burning pits during his deployment in Iraq.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea had its onset during active military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's DJD of the lumbosacral spine has been rated at 10 percent prior to February 10, 2005 and at 30 percent since then. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and further examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus and sleep apnea claims are being remanded for additional development as the VA examinations did not fully address the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset of symptoms, as well as the April 2010 report of Dr. Rull, the April 2010 statement of the Veteran's spouse, and the June 2014 statements from the Veteran's fellow servicemen.

The Veteran's GERD and sleep apnea claims are remanded for additional development, including a new examination for GERD and issuance of a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for hyperreactive airway/asthma with allergic rhinitis and granted it. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is found not related to his military service, but a VA examination is needed to address this issue further. The high cholesterol claim remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for additional development of evidence related to his claims, including review of SSA records and VA DBQs. The case will then be returned to the Board if necessary.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea syndrome and heart condition due to undiagnosed illness related to his Gulf War service have been denied as there is no evidence of such conditions in service or a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are causally related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling examinations, and considering the Veteran's claims.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and need for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected sleep apnea is rated at 50 percent, encompassing his previously service-connected chronic bronchitis, asthma, COPD, and allergic bronchospasms. Separate ratings for these conditions are not warranted as they are rated under a single 50 percent disability rating.