Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed respiratory disorder (other than sleep apnea) and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied. The claim for chronic angioedema was also considered but as it is not a respiratory condition, it cannot be adjudicated in conjunction with the respiratory disorder claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it was not incurred in or related to his military service and is not secondary to a service-connected disability. The Board also found no new and material evidence to reopen the previously denied claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to assess his lumbosacral back strain and adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple joint pain, OSA, headaches, neck disability and right knee disability were denied as they are not related to service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's symptoms of loud snoring, frequent daytime sleepiness, and waking and gasping for air at night during service have been attributed to a current diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection are met.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from August 6, 2007. The Board finds that his service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further consideration, including extraschedular evaluation and referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Services.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, including verifying exposure to gases in service and obtaining a medical opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for sleep apnea, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected bullous emphysema or cystic disease of the right lung. The Board finds that an addendum opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran's sleep apnea was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus and obstructive sleep apnea have been reopened, but additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions. The Veteran's GERD claim remains on hold due to a lack of definitive evidence linking his current condition to active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is as likely as not related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence and a need for clarification on the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected atrial fibrillation.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for hearing loss, left ear and sleep apnea. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (specifically major depressive disorder) is granted as service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back strain is related to service, and as such, service connection for this condition is granted. However, further examination is needed to determine if degenerative changes in the lumbosacral spine are also related to service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was not service-connected, and the initial rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to November 27, 2012, and the rating of degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine post L3-L4-L5 discectomy from March 1, 2010, were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The Board has decided that the case needs further examination and evaluation, specifically regarding whether sleep apnea was aggravated by service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and left knee disability had their onset in service. Service connection is granted for all four conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine, left hip, and right hip disabilities based on direct service connection. The Veteran now has a full grant of benefits sought.