Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected residuals of recurrent DFSP and associated scarring, as he has alleged worsening in these conditions since his last examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on appeal are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's death is being reviewed for possible service connection, and the DIC claim is inextricably intertwined with this issue. The Board requires a VA medical opinion to determine if any of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death.

The Board has denied all the claims, including service connection for various conditions and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and hypertension were not incurred in service or as a result of his service-connected disabilities.,VA medical examinations did not find any link between the Veteran's current conditions and his active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for status post bilateral inguinal hernia repair with ilioinguinal neuralgia to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC, for further development and consideration. The decision on the sleep apnea claim remains under review.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain myositis, L4-L5 disc herniation did not manifest as a result of his military service and denied entitlement to service connection for this condition. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board finds that the Veteran's sleep apnea and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's arthritis of the lumbosacral spine is currently rated at 40 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation due to lack of incapacitating episodes or unfavorable ankylosis. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increase in the evaluation of his service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease was granted, and he is now receiving a 40 percent evaluation effective from July 31, 2000.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on several service-connected disabilities have been withdrawn. The Board does not have jurisdiction to decide these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected dermatitis has not required systemic therapy and involves less than 20 percent of his total body area or exposed surface area, thus the claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for degenerative joint and disc disease of lumbosacral spine as secondary to service-connected disability of the right knee. The evidence submitted since May 2002 is new and material, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not contribute to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, vertigo, adenocarcinoma of the prostate, and erectile dysfunction. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding that these conditions were related to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone would cause him to be unemployable. The appeal is now pending again with the AMC/RO.

The Board found that the Veteran's retinitis pigmentosa did not exist prior to service and was not aggravated during service. Therefore, it denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and his migraine headaches are not secondary to a service-connected condition. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Veteran's cold weather injuries to hands were found to be related to service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.