Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's sleep apnea was incurred during active duty service and granted service connection. The claim of entitlement to service connection for vertigo is denied as there is no current evidence of true vertigo.

The Board granted service connection for migraines, hypertensive coronary artery disease, sleep apnea, hiatal hernia with reflux, and prostatitis. The veteran was assigned a 10 percent rating for migraines, a 50 percent rating for sleep apnea, and a noncompensable rating for the other conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability and sleep apnea are not well-grounded, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for sleep apnea based on VA treatment in 1986 is also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's skin disorder and obstructive sleep apnea are not related to his service in the Persian Gulf War, as they were attributed to known clinical diagnoses.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU, but granted an earlier effective date for his 40 percent rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative changes.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including postoperative residuals of a fracture of the right knee and arthritis of the hips, render him unable to obtain and maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background. His right knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbosacral strain with spondylolysis does not warrant an evaluation in excess of the current 20 percent.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension benefits was denied as he did not meet the criteria for unemployability due to his disabilities prior to January 1, 1996.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent, as there is no objective medical evidence of moderate intervertebral disc syndrome or severe limitation of motion.

The Board has found that the veteran's lumbosacral spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected left ankle fracture, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The claim for an increased rating for the left ankle fracture remains pending as a higher rating is not granted.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for asthma, to include sleep apnea, effective from May 22, 1997. The other issues remain unresolved.

The veteran's skin condition is attributed to a known diagnosis and not due to an undiagnosed illness.,Hair loss is presumed due to an undiagnosed illness, but the claim is denied as it does not meet the criteria for service connection under presumptive provisions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tarsal tunnel syndrome of the left foot and an increased rating for her lumbosacral strain with limited motion, finding no well-grounded claim presented. The effective date for the current disability ratings remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lumbosacral strain warrants a 40 percent disability rating, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the claimant.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for lumbosacral strain, but the claim remains not well grounded as there is no medical nexus between any current disability and military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the left elbow, lumbosacral spine (neck), cervical spine, right hand, and both shoulders. The issues raised were whether new and material evidence had been presented to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for these conditions, as well as his claim for service connection for arthritis of the left hand and left foot.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbosacral strain, currently evaluated at 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, respiratory disorder to include asthma, bilateral foot disorder to include bone spurs of the heels, and bilateral ankle disability. Service connection was denied for right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, right knee condition, and headaches.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for an extension of his eligibility period for vocational rehabilitation training under Chapter 31, Title 38.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected low back disability, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent from October 10, 1997 to June 9, 1998 and for a rating in excess of 60 percent subsequent to October 1, 1998.