Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a personal hearing via videoconference at a local VA office.

The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations of his lumbosacral spine disability was granted, with a 40% evaluation effective August 1, 2013. Separate 10% evaluations were assigned for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities.

The Board denied service connection for cervical and lumbosacral spine disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the submission of new medical records and a need for an examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for various conditions, including PTSD, high triglycerides and cholesterol, chronic obesity, poor blood circulation, dry mouth, Gulf War Syndrome, polyps, gastrointestinal disorder, eye disability, respiratory disorder, heart disease, skin cancer, varicose veins, sleep apnea, and traumatic brain injury. The reasons were provided based on the lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing and consolidating evidence into claims files.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the claim for entitlement to service connection for a respiratory disorder. The remaining claims have been adjudicated and are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for higher ratings for migraine headaches, vertigo, and acne rosacea prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to new evidence and changed theories of entitlement.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess her lumbosacral spine disability, as well as obtaining any relevant medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are found to be sufficient to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased disability ratings for allergic rhinitis and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, hallux valgus of the left foot, and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis have been granted service connection. The Veteran is currently rated at 10 percent for his hallux valgus of the left foot since January 3, 2012, and a higher rating is not warranted. His bilateral pes planus has also been granted a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical and lumbar spine disorders are granted. The Board also dismissed the appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for crush injuries of the third and fourth fingers of the right hand.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and determine the etiology of his sleep apnea. The claims for diabetes mellitus, type 2 and coronary artery disease are inextricably intertwined with the claim for service connection for sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C and sleep apnea prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, but the VA examiner opined that he could perform light and sedentary work at times when not having episodes due to hepatitis C. The case is referred for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant in July 2013.

The Veteran's lung disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, interstitial fibrosis, pneumonia (resolved), and COPD, are being remanded for further development to determine if they are related to his military service.