Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his current hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.,The Board found insufficient evidence to grant service connection for various conditions, including acid reflux and sleep apnea, due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of his skin condition, specifically basal cell carcinoma with actinic keratosa and dermatoheliosis of forearms. The issue is being reviewed due to potential exposure to toxic substances during military service.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected rhinitis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and lumbosacral strain, finding that there is no evidence of current disabilities or a causal relationship to service.

The Board has determined that the January 2022 VA examination is inadequate for adjudication purposes and requires correction. The Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to her age rather than her PTSD, but the examiner did not address whether PTSD aggravates her sleep apnea.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and left knee disabilities, with obesity serving as an intermediate step.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for an increased rating for hiatal hernia with GERD was denied as the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. Service connection claims for blepharitis, trichiasis, lumbosacral radiculopathy and piriformis syndrome, peripheral neuropathy of the right side, and peripheral neuropathy of the left side were also denied.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for sleep apnea is denied as the condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,A 50 percent disability rating for migraine headaches is granted throughout the appeal period, with the effective date being January 26, 2016.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), to include as secondary to service-connected tinnitus, due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ will consider any additional evidence and provide an addendum opinion from another qualified examiner.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for supraventricular arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation) is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to inadequate examination and potential PACT Act requirements.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and missing records. The Veteran's conditions are related to his active duty, but additional evidence is needed.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus, plantar fasciitis, lumbosacral strain, left knee strain, and right knee strain due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiners' opinions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased disability ratings for lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not caused or aggravated by their service-connected allergic rhinitis, and thus remanded for further examination to clarify this issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as he has completed at least four years of college and worked as a college professor for over 30 years. The Board finds that the combined effect of his service-connected conditions does not preclude him from participating in a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 20, 2021, for service connection of intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with sacroiliac injury, lumbosacral strain, and degenerative disc disease (DDD), left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to IVDS, right lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to IVDS, and a linear low back scar microdiscectomy as secondary to IVDS.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea. The claim will be reconsidered with new evidence and an updated opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus type 2 are denied as the evidence does not establish a direct or secondary relationship to his military service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in failing to verify the claimed stressor.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and his obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The VA examiner was asked to provide an opinion on whether OSA is caused or aggravated by PTSD, as well as whether obesity, a potential intermediate step, contributed to OSA.