Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete examination reports and failure to provide a clear rationale for opinions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disorder. Service connection is granted for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been granted, effective June 1, 2005. The issue of entitlement to TDIU prior to August 30, 2012 is being remanded due to the change in his disability picture.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravates his sleep apnea, warranting service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The case is being remanded for additional development of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further research into his exposure to herbicides during service and a VA examination to determine if he has confirmed diagnoses of the claimed disabilities.

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

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and found that new and material evidence had been received. The Veteran is now entitled to a decision on whether his OSA is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been withdrawn. The compensable disability rating for deviated nasal septum and rhinitis is denied. The claim for service connection for migraine headaches has been reopened, but the criteria for service connection are not met. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea remains denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability and finds that myofascial lumbosacral syndrome is etiologically related to active service. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for hypertension will be remanded as it was not addressed in the July 2013 decision.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the Veteran's service-connected back disability and its impact on her ability to work. The appeal will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected turbinate hypertrophy is causing his breathing problems, and the Board grants service connection for these issues.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain relevant medical records and provide the Veteran with an opportunity to submit additional evidence. The Veteran is required to cooperate by attending a requested VA examination.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, effective December 23, 1978. The claim for an increased evaluation has been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea, fractures to the left wrist/hand, vertigo, and nose/sinus/throat problems did not begin in service or are otherwise related to service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is found to be related to service, and his erectile dysfunction is found to be secondary to a service-connected condition. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis, continuous body aches and joint pains, gastrointestinal disorder, migraine headaches, skin rash, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, which adequately reflects the severity of his disability as it does not cause occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.