Sleep apnea Board decisions

The appeal was denied as the Veteran did not provide new and material evidence to reopen his claim for service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, and there is no evidence that the Veteran's right knee or lumbosacral spine arthritis are related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's bilateral patellofemoral syndrome is service-connected. The other issues remain pending further development.

The Board denied service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease as it was not etiologically related to the Veteran's active service.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea and denied increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy in all extremities, finding the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection.

The Veteran's left foot disorder was aggravated during periods of ADT and INADT, but chronic lumbosacral strain is not shown to be the result of any disease or injury incurred in or aggravated during ADT or INADT.

The Board denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome with median neuropathy and seborrheic dermatitis and rosacea as they were not shown to be due to an event or incident during the Veteran's period of active service, nor was there evidence of exposure to herbicides that could have caused these conditions.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain is primarily manifested by complaints of intermittent low back pain, mostly at night; complaints of muscle spasms for which he has been prescribed a muscle relaxant, to take as needed; forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 82 degrees; and combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine of 205 degrees. There has been no showing of muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour.

The Veteran's residuals of a lumbosacral strain have been evaluated as noncompensable, but the Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for pain with numbness radiating down to the right lower extremity and into the toes. The Veteran's residuals, status post pterygium removal, right eye do not result in a loss of visual acuity.

The Veteran's lower back disability was rated at 40 percent, effective February 9, 2005, based on the severity of his symptoms and functional loss.

The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's low back disability, as well as to obtain any outstanding medical records and SSA records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection.

The case was remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing at the RO.

The Veteran's recurrent lumbosacral strain has been granted a 20 percent disability rating, effective from the date of his current claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral spine, cervical spine (neck), and left shoulder disabilities as there was no competent medical evidence of current disabilities related to service.

The Veteran's hypertension, sleep apnea, skin disorder (chloracne/sebaceous hyperplasia), right hip disorder and bilateral neuropathy of the feet were not related to his service or any service-connected disability.

The Board denied an evaluation higher than 30 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease, effective July 23, 2004; and higher than 40 percent, effective June 12, 2006; and higher than 50 percent, effective August 14, 2007.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, and his psychiatric disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding it was unrelated to an injury, disease, or event of service origin and not caused by or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.