Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction. The RO must obtain an addendum opinion addressing the etiology of his erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to any prescribed medication, and a VA medical examination to determine whether any current sleep apnea is related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a VA examination. The issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea will be addressed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The evidence is at least in equipoise that the Veteran's sleep apnea was permanently aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his service connection claims for low back disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and respiratory disorder were not granted. His hearing loss disability was also found to be noncompensable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, which is claimed as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, has been remanded due to the need for an addendum VA examination and proper VCAA notice.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his low back disability is being considered, along with the propriety of reducing his rating from 20 percent to 10 percent effective December 1, 2012. The appeal involves service connection on the merits and does not involve any presumption or exposure basis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete compliance with previous remand instructions. The Veteran seeks service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, and a new VA examination is needed to determine if his condition had an onset during service or is otherwise related to his period of service.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and associated radiculopathy have been rated at 20 percent, with separate ratings for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The appeal is denied as there are no additional factors warranting an extra-schedular rating.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for an orthopedic examination to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's low back disability. The examiner must provide opinions on whether the Veteran's low back disability is related to service or her service-connected bilateral foot disabilities.

The Veteran's claimed conditions were not shown to be related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The Board denied the claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that sleep apnea did not have its onset during service and is not related to the Veteran's active military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and the evidence is at least in equipoise that he is unemployable due to his lumbar spine disability. Therefore, entitlement to a TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for his service-connected lung disability to include emphysema, bronchial pneumonia, spontaneous pneumothorax, and residuals of thoracotomy was denied. The rating assigned is 30 percent effective from August 17, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disability is related to service.

The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for his obstructive sleep apnea, and also wants an earlier effective date. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain VA treatment records from various locations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his service-connected PTSD, as well as other potential causes of the condition.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for further development, including an examination and completion of VA Form 21-8940.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records from the VA Northern California Health Care System. A more contemporaneous VA examination to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine disability must be conducted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine if the Veteran's pre-existing sleep apnea disability permanently increased in severity during his period of active duty service from October 2007 to February 2008.