Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for COPD, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and sleep apnea as they were not shown to be related to the Veteran's active service or his service-connected elevation of the left hemidiaphragm.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis, GERD, and sleep apnea as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active military service.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's sleep apnea began during active service. With application of the doctrine of reasonable doubt, service connection for sleep apnea is warranted.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and action.

The Board denied increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, as well as an earlier effective date for the 40 percent evaluation for lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea as there is no evidence of a medical relationship between the condition and the veteran's military service.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing as requested by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, hearing loss, tinnitus, arthritis of the bilateral hips and knees, neuropathy of the right and left hand, sleep apnea, and PTSD were withdrawn by the appellant prior to promulgation of a decision.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection and rating of allergic rhinitis, as well as secondary conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and increased ratings for right carpal tunnel syndrome, lumbosacral strain, and cervical strain were denied. However, a 30 percent rating was granted for the right carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, obesity, acid reflux disability, sleep phobia, and sexual impotence as not being related to the veteran's active service or his service-connected bronchial asthma. The claim of entitlement to service connection for sinus disability on a direct-incurrence basis was reopened but ultimately denied. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were also denied.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, skin cancer, epilepsy, sleep apnea, cataracts, and partial blindness as these conditions were not shown to be related to the Veteran's period of active duty or any claimed in-service exposure.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot condition, chronic neurological condition, lumbosacral spine disorder, degenerative disc disease, and sciatic neuropathy as there was no evidence of a current disability that was causally or etiologically related to active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and sleep apnea as new and material evidence was not received to reopen previously denied claims.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the increased disability rating for right ankle arthritis was not timely filed and must be dismissed.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, rated as 50 percent disabling when combined, do not preclude following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable rating were denied, with the exception of grants of 10% and 20% ratings for tinea versicolor and chronic lumbosacral strain, respectively.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions as there was no evidence to support a link between any of these conditions and the Veteran's period of active military service.