Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a skin condition, GERD, OSA, and PVD of the lower extremities and shoulders. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing these conditions had their onset during active service or were related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's entitlement to an earlier effective date for a 50% evaluation of migraine headaches is granted, and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea syndromes as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder, mandible fracture residuals, and migraine headaches is also granted.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance from December 26, 2001. The decision finds that his service-connected disabilities rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance since December 26, 2001.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's reports of symptoms during and after his deployments, as well as an improper reliance on the absence of STRs regarding sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for lumbosacral strain and degenerative disc disease, as well as a neck condition. The VA will obtain additional medical records and schedule the Veteran for examinations to determine if his conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) memorandum and Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER), which is necessary for service connection under the PACT Act. The Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to his in-service exposure to toxins, but this needs further medical evaluation.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is secondary to his service-connected right knee disability with weight gain. Therefore, service connection for OSA on a secondary basis is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea. The claim will be reconsidered with additional evidence and a new opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for headaches, hypertension, a cervical spine disability (claimed as chronic muscle tension), diabetes mellitus, type II (DMII), and sleep apnea due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in the November 2020 VA examination, and additional evidence is needed to determine if OSA was incurred during service or caused by service-connected conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for initial increased ratings for PTSD, OSA, and chronic kidney disease. The issues are dismissed as a result.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's right ankle disability with obesity acting as an intermediate step. The opinion of a private medical provider established that the Veteran's obesity was caused by his service-connected right ankle disability and was a substantial factor in causing his sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder, lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), and right shoulder impingement syndrome with acromioclavicular DJD and supraspinatus rotator cuff strain. Obesity was considered an intermediate step in the development of OSA.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection due to a final rating decision from September 6, 1967, which found that his conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to inadequate evaluations of the Veteran's service-connected low back strain and COPD with OSA.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient development and need for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is related to service or aggravation of a congenital abnormality.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, is granted as service-connected. The claims for unspecified depressive disorder, PTSD, lumbosacral strain, sciatica (secondary to lumbosacral strain), and hiatal hernia are remanded.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to additional development needed, including obtaining outstanding records related to motor vehicle accidents and any relevant incidents.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for lumbosacral strain was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.