Sleep apnea Board decisions

The veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence and a need for further examination.

The veteran withdrew his appeal, leaving no pending issues for the Board to decide.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service and denied both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea, as well as his claim for an increased rating for a lumbar spine disability. The decision also noted that new evidence submitted since the last final denial did not meet the criteria to reopen the previously denied claim for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and residuals of a deviated nasal septum, finding that there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service medical records and a need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have sinusitis or sleep apnea, and that any current sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected right hemispheric porencephalic cyst of brain with left upper extremity paresis, left lower extremity paresis, and seizure disorder.

The veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and considering his claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board found no evidence of a low back or right shoulder condition during service, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any current conditions are related to service. The veteran's claims for service connection were denied.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected Reiter's syndrome does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation due to lack of definite impairment or incapacitating exacerbations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, finding that her preexisting scoliosis did not undergo a permanent increase in severity during active service and thus could not be presumed to have been aggravated by service.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an orthopedic examination and determine if the veteran's current low back conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess his current disability levels. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The veteran's initial rating for sleep apnea was increased to 40 percent from April 20, 1991 to October 6, 1996. The effective date of this increase is October 7, 1996. The veteran also received a 50 percent rating for sleep apnea starting from October 7, 1996. However, the Board found that an earlier effective date was not warranted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, memory loss, and sleep apnea due to an undiagnosed illness. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea was reopened but ultimately denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected lumbosacral strain was granted, and he is now receiving a 20 percent rating effective April 1, 2004.

The Board found no causal relationship between the veteran's service-connected disabilities and his cause of death, which was sudden cardiac death due to hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea. Therefore, service connection for the cause of death is denied.

The veteran's appeals for a compensable evaluation for service-connected lumbosacral and cervical spine strain, non-service-connected pension benefits, and service connection for a rash have been withdrawn. The issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for the laceration of the 4th and 5th fingers of the left hand is dismissed.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that there is no competent medical evidence to show a causal nexus between any aspect of service and the veteran's current condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his lumbosacral spine disability, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation prior to December 26, 2006 and from December 26, 2006.