Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, chronic tinnitus, and chronic skin disorder (including chloracne) are not related to his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's currently diagnosed sleep apnea and bilateral hearing loss are related to his period of active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for both conditions is granted.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease with myocardial infarction and sleep apnea are found to be aggravated by his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder and diabetes mellitus, type 2. The claim for direct service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a new VA examination. The issues of increased evaluation for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, as well as TDIU, must be readjudicated.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected low back disability. Additionally, he must be provided with an effective date prior to March 10, 2008 for his radiculitis in the lower extremities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for both issues on appeal, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for leiomyosarcoma due to exposure to ionizing radiation, finding no evidence of such exposure during his military service and noting that the cancer was not attributable to his service.

The Board has found that the Veteran's sleep apnea reasonably had its onset during his years of active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected arthritis of the lumbosacral spine does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it does not result in muscle spasm resulting in abnormal gait or spinal contour, flexion to 60 degrees or less, or combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine to 120 degrees or less.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, chronic tinnitus, and chronic skin disorder (including chloracne) are not related to his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection due to his failure to adequately plead a claim of CUE in the prior rating decision. The earliest effective date assignable is October 13, 2004.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for further development, including obtaining SSA records and locating service personnel and treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than August 26, 2006 for the assignment of a 20% disability rating for her lumbosacral spine disability was granted. The effective date is set at February 7, 2000.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is incurred in service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and EMG/nerve conduction studies.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea was denied as there is no evidence showing a relationship between his current sleep apnea and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by his military service.