Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for tinea versicolor of the chest, shoulders and upper back as there are no clinically identified manifestations of TV or any residuals thereof upon which to base a compensable evaluation.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 20, 2000 for service connection for diabetes, lumbosacral strain, right and left foot polyneuropathy, and a right hand disability.

The veteran seeks compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 for headaches, shortness of breath, sleep apnea, and redness of the face as a result of medication prescribed by VA. The Board finds that another medical examination is necessary to determine if any additional disabilities are due to carelessness or fault on the part of VA.

The Board has granted a disability evaluation of 60 percent for service-connected lumbosacral disc disease with arthritis prior to December 19, 2002.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical records and examinations for the veteran's lumbosacral strain and tinea versicolor, as well as to ensure that all development actions have been conducted in full.

The veteran's lumbosacral strain is rated at 20 percent since July 10, 1997. The claim for increased evaluation of the right hip bursitis was granted with a 10 percent rating effective from the date of claim.

The Board denied a higher disability rating for sleep apnea syndrome and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain was evaluated at a 10 percent rating for the period from October 2, 1997 to October 3, 2004. The claim for an increased evaluation is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and an increased rating for his lower back disability due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was received to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic lumbosacral strain. However, it is unclear whether the appeal is about service connection at all due to procedural issues.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic lumbosacral spine disorder or left knee disorder that was incurred in service, and denied the veteran's claims.

The Board denied a combined disability rating in excess of 50 percent for the veteran's service-connected conditions prior to July 9, 1999.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional treatment records from the Mount Vernon VAMC and issuing a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The veteran's claims for higher disability ratings and service connection have been granted. The specific conditions include traumatic arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, thoracic spine, and dermatitis. Service connection has also been established for erectile dysfunction.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for further development due to additional evidence received after a previous SSOC.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected low back syndrome, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability evaluations under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has granted a 40% disability rating for the service-connected lumbosacral strain, effective from the date of this decision.

Throughout the rating period, the veteran's chronic lumbosacral strain was productive of complaints of pain and tenderness. The evidence showed some tenderness but no severe limitation of motion or other criteria warranting a higher evaluation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.