Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, manifested by limitation of motion and pain, warrants a 20 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for facet arthralgia of the lumbosacral spine is being remanded due to a scheduling issue with his Travel Board hearing.

The Board has determined that further examination and medical opinion are needed to resolve the claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to the Veteran's assertions of symptoms during service, post-service findings, and continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has denied service connection for the claimed conditions of coronary artery disease, hypertension, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea and high cholesterol. The Veteran's claim for bilateral varicose veins is pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including leishmaniasis, fatigue, memory loss, night sweats, bleeding gums, lung/respiratory problems, skin rash, sinusitis, sleep apnea, diverticulosis coli with diarrhea, joint pain to the low back and lower extremities, heart problems, psychiatric pain disorder, headaches, and bilateral eye disorder. The effective date for service connection of PTSD remains October 5, 1994.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and a VA compensation and pension opinion based on new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was initially rated as 30 percent disabling prior to February 10, 2006 and increased to 50 percent effective February 10, 2006. The rating is based on the use of a CPAP machine.

The Board has determined that the appellant's respiratory disabilities other than pleurisy, including bronchitis, pneumonia, COPD, asthma, tuberculosis in remission and sleep apnea are causally related to his active service. The left ear hearing loss is not compensable.

The Board found that the reduction of the 40 percent rating for the service-connected lumbosacral strain from August 1, 2006 to 20 percent was improper due to inadequate examinations and lack of review of recent treatment records.

The Veteran's current diagnosis of sleep apnea is related to his active service, and the Board finds that he is entitled to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and limitation of motion is rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The right and left knee disabilities are each rated at 10 percent for arthritis and limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The left knee disability, right knee arthritis, and lumbosacral strain with spondylosis at L5-S1 are not rated higher than the current 20 percent, 10 percent, and 20 percent respectively.

The Veteran seeks service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, which he contends is secondary to his service-connected bilateral maxillary sinusitis. The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's sleep apnea was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected sinusitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the St. Petersburg, Florida RO.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are granted as the evidence supports these conditions having onset during or being related to military service.

The Veteran was granted service connection for sleep apnea with an effective date of July 31, 2006. This decision is based on new and material evidence submitted after the January 2006 denial.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to September 5, 2007 for the grant of service connection for sleep apnea is not warranted.

The Veteran's sinusitis and sleep apnea are found to be related to service, with the Board granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea, claimed as secondary to PTSD, is being remanded due to the need for a new medical examination.