Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of GERD, hypertension, and sleep apnea due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for flat feet and OSA, but granted service connection for the Veteran's back condition. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were denied.,Service connection was established for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with thoracic vertebral bodies wedging (back condition).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in a previous VA opinion regarding whether sleep apnea is secondary to service-connected depressive disorder.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be caused by his service-connected PTSD, with obesity being an intermediate step in the multi-causal chain. As a result, the Board grants service connection for sleep apnea on a secondary basis.

The Board has granted the request to readjudicate the claim of service connection for sleep apnea and has remanded it for further action.

The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for intermittent explosive disorder and the entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain need further review due to procedural errors.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is service-connected or secondary to a service-connected disability. The AOJ must obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician addressing these issues.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to obesity caused by his service-connected disabilities, including a mood disorder with major depressive-like features, right knee residual post-operative with instability and traumatic arthritis, and left knee strain. The decision is based on evidence that the Veteran's obesity resulted from his service-connected disabilities, which in turn led to his sleep apnea.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea before a decision was made.

The Board has denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of any joint other than the lumbar spine, finding no evidence of a current disability in that area. The issue of service connection for a lumbar spine disability is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and depressive disorder have been granted service connection.,Service connection for PTSD has been denied, as the evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with DSM-5 criteria. The Veteran's current symptoms do not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD.

The Board dismissed the appeal for an increased disability rating for lumbosacral strain as the appellant requested to withdraw the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for a headache disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and alopecia as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology since service. The medical evidence did not support direct service connection.

The Board denied increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, chronic and recurrent prostatitis, varicose veins of the left lower extremity, and varicose veins of the right lower extremity as their disability picture did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his service-connected left shoulder disability and obesity, which he contends caused his current sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension due to inappropriately considering evidence submitted after the June 2022 AOJ decision. The Veteran's claim is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding whether his sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected back disability, including as a result of obesity caused by that condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination for service connection of sleep apnea. The Veteran seeks service connection for this condition, which he argues may be proximately caused by or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and right ankle disability due to incomplete medical opinions. The Veteran is seeking service connection based on exposure to burn pits during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a TERA examination and to clarify the Veteran's service connection claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain a direct medical opinion and an adequate secondary service connection medical opinion, as well as issues related to obtaining the Veteran's separation medical examination.