Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected rhinosinusitis with nasal septal deviation.

The Board has determined that the claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected disabilities, and to include as due to obesity as an intermediate step, requires additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his sleep apnea. The claims are therefore being remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for a right hip disability but granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, which is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has restored service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the original decision was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that his symptoms began in service and have persisted continuously through to his formal diagnosis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that it is not proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by her service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election. The appeal of lumbosacral strain was remanded.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for OSA is denied as he does not use a breathing assistance device such as a CPAP machine. The claims of service connection for hypertension and headaches are remanded due to the need for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all service connection issues, including left leg neuropathy, right leg neuropathy, sinus, rhinitis, asthma, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, thyroids, PTSD, diabetes, heart, right hemiparesis, cervical, and other conditions. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in duty to assist and a need for a new opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Veteran's embolic stroke and OSA are found to be due to his service-connected PTSD with MDD.,Service connection for both conditions is granted.

The Veteran's initial 50 percent rating for asbestosis and obstructive sleep apnea is granted, but an earlier effective date for service connection of these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD alone meets the criteria for a single disability rated at 100 percent, and his other disabilities combine to meet or exceed a 60 percent rating. Therefore, SMC at the housebound rate is granted from December 2, 2019, to May 23, 2021.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, and obstructive sleep apnea are inadequate due to a lack of information regarding baseline levels of severity and opinions on aggravation. The Veteran's service connection claims for these conditions are being remanded for further development.

The Board has found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by his service-connected psychiatric disability, specifically obsessive-compulsive disorder and insomnia disorder with alcohol use disorder. The decision grants service connection for OSA as secondary to these conditions.

The Board has granted an effective date of December 18, 2018 for the award of service connection for OSA and denied a separate evaluation for RAD. The Veteran's OSA is rated at 50% since this date.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his weight gain and if that contributed to his sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder and associated morbid obesity.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to PTSD, with obesity as an intermediary step. The decision is based on a lack of adequate medical examination and opinion regarding the relationship between OSA, PTSD, and obesity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea may be related to his service, particularly given his participation in a TERA. The claim is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.