Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain with sciatica was denied. The claim to reopen the service connection for arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease with myocardial infarction was also denied, as new and material evidence had not been received since a previous denial in 1988. The Veteran's claim for service connection for basal cell carcinoma was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for an examination to determine which symptoms are attributable to the Veteran's service-connected sacro-iliac strain and any other non-service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea in April 1991, finding no evidence of the condition during service. The Veteran's claim was reopened but still denied as new and material evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to address the issues of service connection for a right knee disorder as secondary to lumbosacral spine disability and an increased rating for lumbosacral spine disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current sleep apnea is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's low back disability is manifested by marked limitation of forward bending in standing position, loss of lateral motion with osteo-arthritic changes, and functional impairment due to pain and fatigue. The Board finds no support for an increased rating under the pre-amended version of Diagnostic Code 5295 over any portion of the rating period on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of lumbosacral injury have been rated at 20 percent since the effective date of service connection. The current range of motion does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria to reopen any of these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's increased rating claim for lumbosacral strain, maintaining his current 10 percent disability rating. The issue was that the Veteran's condition did not warrant a higher evaluation based on the evidence provided.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any current skin rash disability and sleep apnea disorder.

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 lumbosacral strain and left lower radiculopathy disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic lumbosacral spine disability, finding that his current condition was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability caused his current degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine and right knee, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to lack of verified stressor. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain disability rating remains at 40 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for sleep apnea, upper respiratory infection disability, erectile dysfunction, and periodontitis have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of secondary service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back and bilateral knee conditions are not related to her period of service.,Therefore, the criteria for service connection on a direct incurrence basis or secondary as due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability are not met.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, low back disability, and bilateral shoulder disability. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional VCAA notice and a VA examination to assess the current severity of his low back disability.