Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's current sleep apnea did not have its onset in service and is not etiologically related to service, and such disability is not proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his service-connected lumbosacral strain was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to May 14, 2009, and in excess of 20 percent as of that date.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Board also found that the Veteran's sleep apnea is at least as likely as not secondary to his service-connected depression, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his service-connected degenerative disc disease with facet arthritis of the lumbosacral spine is being remanded due to the need for additional treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to service or caused by his service-connected GERD.

The Board finds that the Veteran has a chronic variously diagnosed skin disability that became manifest in service and persists to the present time, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for secondary service connection as his sleep apnea is not causally related to his service-connected asthma.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a sleep disorder other than insomnia, to include sleep apnea, is being remanded due to failure to report for a scheduled VA examination. The Board will schedule another sleep study to determine the presence of any such disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unemployable. The Board grants a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the ankles, prostate condition, and skin rash due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability is related to in-service injuries. The thyroid disorder claim remains pending as an addendum opinion is needed from the VA examiner. Service connection for sleep apnea and migraine headaches was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected lumbosacral strain and separate compensable ratings for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional development of his medical records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and Shy-Drager syndrome.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and determining whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran seeks recognition of his son, A.J.S., as a helpless child for VA benefits due to blindness resulting from retinitis pigmentosa. The case is being remanded to determine when A.J.S. became incapable of self-support by the age of 18.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent disabling, effective July 15, 2011. The condition has caused occupational and social impairment with an occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence.