Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea, is not related to his in-service snoring and sleep disturbances. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability was denied. His claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of a 20 percent disability rating for his neurological deficits in the right lower extremity is remanded.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was incurred in service, and she is granted service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence of a current lumbosacral spine disorder that can be linked to her active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is rated at 20 percent, and the appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and examinations regarding his sleep apnea, bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, and bilateral hearing loss. The VA will then review the claims again.

The Board has ordered the reduction of the Veteran's disability rating for sleep apnea from 50 percent to zero percent disabling, effective February 1, 2011. However, due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the Veteran currently has a diagnosis of sleep apnea and if he uses a CPAP machine, further examination is needed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea pre-existed his final period of active service and did not undergo aggravation during such service, thus denying service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), and hypertension. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was incurred in service, and she is granted service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence of a current lumbosacral spine disorder that can be linked to her active duty service.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was incurred during his period of active service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back disability was denied, and he is currently receiving an initial 40 percent rating for sciatic nerve damage of the right lower extremity.

The Board has granted service connection for right lumbosacral polyradiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability, effective November 24, 2008. The Veteran is also entitled to a higher initial rating of 40% and TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability. The rating for the right knee disability remains at 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims from appellate review.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of additional medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a personal hearing before a Member of the Board by live videoconference.

The Veteran's claim of an earlier effective date for PTSD is dismissed. The Board finds that the Veteran's sleep apnea was incurred during service and grants his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and adjudication of his claims, including the issues related to service connection for psychiatric disabilities, a back disability, erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and left upper extremity radiculopathy.