Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA and Workman's Compensation records, scheduling an examination to assess the Veteran's employability due to his service-connected disabilities, and considering whether staged ratings are warranted.

The Veteran's onychomycosis was granted service connection as it is etiologically related to active duty service.,Obstructive sleep apnea and gastrointestinal (GI) disability were denied service connection due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's in-service asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 6, 2010.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability was not manifested during service or for many years after service, and is not otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a Travel Board hearing, and will return it for further appellate review if necessary.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, effective as of the date of this decision. The rating reflects occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's claims for a higher disability rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus, thus denying the claim for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain missing Reserve treatment records and verify his periods of inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's spine disability, thoracolumbar myositis and lumbosacral disc disease with a bulging disc at L5-S1, is not productive of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of six weeks or more during any one-year period. Radiculopathy has not been clinically established; electronic testing has been negative.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his liposarcoma of the left thigh is being remanded due to outstanding medical records and releases needed from private providers.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee pain and low back pain, both claimed as joint or muscle pain respectively, were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The claim for neurologic signs and symptoms was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to address the issues of service connection for right hip disorder and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, requiring assistance with daily activities such as dressing, grooming, bathing, preparing meals, managing medications, toileting, transfers, and attending to the needs of nature. The Board has granted SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorder, spine disability, and sleep apnea as due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's bilateral hip disability, including arthritis of the hips, is caused by or increased in severity beyond the natural progress of the disease due to service-connected bilateral femoral neck stress fractures. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The criteria for an increased rating under the applicable diagnostic codes were not met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various skin and bone disorders, as well as diabetes mellitus, were denied. The Board found that there was no persuasive scientific or medical evidence suggesting a link between the claimed conditions and any alleged radiation exposure during military service.

The Veteran's initial ratings for bronchitis and lumbosacral strain were granted, with the Bronchitis receiving a rating of 10 percent effective January 13, 2009. The Veteran was also awarded TDIU from May 9, 2002 to April 5, 2005.