Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his incarceration and failure to appear for a Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea and right arm/leg disabilities, as well as to review his claims for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected panic disorder with agoraphobia. The Veteran is also entitled to a 50% disability rating for his service-connected panic disorder.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate and requires an addendum to address whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, or psychiatric disability. The case is therefore being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD is granted. The issues of lumbosacral strain, right and left hip sprain, right and left knee arthritis, and bilateral pes planus are dismissed.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to have its onset during service and is granted as incurred in service. The claim of service connection for traumatic brain injury is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased initial disability ratings and earlier effective dates for service-connected diabetes mellitus, and an increased initial disability rating for diabetic nephropathy were withdrawn in July 2014. The claims are therefore dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred in, aggravated by or proximately due to service. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

From July 28, 2008 to June 10, 2009, the Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability was rated at 20 percent.,As of June 10, 2009, the Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability was rated at 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea did not have its onset during service and is not otherwise related to his active duty. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection of sleep apnea, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a clarifying medical opinion.

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

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his active service. The issue of an initial rating greater than 10 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine is remanded due to a need for further examination. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral leg disability remains on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for a Travel Board hearing at the RO, and further development of his claims.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, including his post-service treatment records and SSA records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new examination to address the etiology of his sleep apnea and whether it is secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance due to his disabilities has been established, allowing him to receive special monthly pension.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a neck disability, both secondary to his service-connected fracture of the nose. The Veteran's testimony raised a reasonable possibility of establishing that his sleep apnea is related to his service-connected condition.