The Veteran is seeking service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a gastrointestinal disability, including as due to an undiagnosed illness. He also seeks an increased rating for his service-connected osteoarthritis of the left hip.,The Veteran contends that he incurred obstructive sleep apnea during active service or, alternatively, his service-connected sinusitis caused or aggravated (permanently worsened) his obstructive sleep apnea. He also contends that he incurred a gastrointestinal disability as a result of an undiagnosed illness initially experienced while deployed to the southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.,The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected osteoarthritis of the left hip.
The deciding factor: Service connection may be granted if there is a disability at some point during the claim even if it later resolves or becomes asymptomatic. The Veteran's current diagnoses include obstructive sleep apnea and gastrointestinal disabilities, including irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).,The Veteran served in the southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War and service connection is in effect for sinusitis.,VA's duty to assist under the VCAA includes scheduling an examination where necessary. The Veteran should be scheduled for appropriate examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his obstructive sleep apnea, including as due to service-connected sinusitis, and his claimed gastrointestinal disability, to include irritable bowel syndrome and GERD, including as due to an undiagnosed illness.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disability (irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 19, 2015
- Citation
- 1544416
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1544416.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or toxic exposure. The Veteran's claims were based on his participation in TERA activities during service.
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