Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to his service-connected conditions, as he is currently enrolled in full-time college and has a high school education with one year of college. His service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbosacral spine warrants a 40 percent rating for impairment of the spine, and separate 20 percent ratings for neurological impairment in both lower extremities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbosacral disability and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy has been granted. His claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have also been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for numbness in the legs as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disorder. The rating of 20% for the lumbosacral spine disorder remains unchanged.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a personality disorder and sleepwalking disorder are denied as the conditions do not meet the criteria for VA compensation benefits.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain warranted a rating of 20 percent, and granted a separate 10 percent rating for neurological manifestations in his right lower extremity. The claim for left wrist disorder was denied.

The Board denied entitlement to an extraschedular evaluation for chronic lumbosacral strain and the residuals of a compression fracture of the T-12 vertebra, finding that the available schedular evaluations adequately described the Veteran's disability level.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death and that any relationship between his causes of death and his service was speculative.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and an initial disability rating are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental opinion regarding his exposure to contaminants during the overhaul of U.S.S. Jouett.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease, finding that his current evaluation of 20 percent is appropriate based on the evidence. The hearing loss claim was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to a service-connected disability. As such, the claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine degenerative disc disease and lumbosacral strain are not related to service, as there is no evidence of a relationship between these conditions and any in-service injury. The post-service injuries have been considered.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and is not related to undiagnosed illness as a result of service in the Southwest Asia theater during the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred from September 1, 2004 to September 2, 2004 were not reimbursable as she did not meet the criteria for reimbursement under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and to schedule a videoconference hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and bilateral hearing loss disability were not incurred or aggravated in service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected abdominal wound and lumbosacral strain were denied. The Veteran was not granted a TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and did not address service connection issues, as those were remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression and a higher rating for his lumbosacral spine disorder. This includes obtaining private medical records, securing Social Security Administration (SSA) disability determination records, scheduling VA examinations, and providing VCAA notice letters.