Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining SSA records related to his disability benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have sleep apnea and therefore cannot be granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease and lumbosacral strain have not been manifested by unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or intervertebral disc syndrome with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least six weeks during the past twelve months. As such, he is not entitled to a higher initial evaluation.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus. The case is being remanded due to the Veteran's request for a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and fibromyalgia or sciatica were not found to be related to service, and the Board denied these claims.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for service-connected tinea pedis, entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea and tension headaches were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a grant of service connection for folliculitis.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 60 percent for his left L4-S1 radiculopathy with dorsolumbosacral paravertebral myositis and a dissicated and bulging disc at L5-S1 was denied. The maximum schedular rating has been assigned.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations were denied. The Board found no evidence of arthritis prior to May 1986, and the Veteran's lay statements do not constitute competent medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have currently diagnosed conditions such as sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus, major depression, or PTSD. The service connection claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a nervous disorder (claimed as PTSD) and residuals of lumbosacral strain. The appeals regarding bilateral hearing loss, impotence, migraine headaches, and chronic pes planus were also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence linking his current disability to his military service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's lumbosacral sprain with DDD is currently rated at 40 percent, and the VA examiners have found no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran is granted a 50 percent rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, effective October 31, 1999. The Veteran's entitlement to TDIU based on his service-connected disability is also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea and narcolepsy are directly related to his military service, with no presumption of service connection based on exposure to specific environments or conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his sleep disability and lumbosacral spine condition.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain does not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and his neurological abnormalities do not warrant separate evaluations.

The Veteran's appeal involves a request for an increased rating for PTSD, and the RO has denied service connection for sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction. The case is being remanded to obtain additional evidence, including SSA records and VA examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, nor could it be attributed to herbicide exposure. The cause of death listed on his death certificate was superventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by her service and is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by, a service connected disability. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied.