The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for an addendum opinion to address whether his sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome, was caused or aggravated by his service-connected orthopedic disabilities. Additionally, the Board will determine if there is clear and unmistakable evidence that his preexisting sleep disorder was not permanently worsened during his periods of active duty.
The deciding factor: The opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran's current sleep disorder is related to his service-connected orthopedic disabilities or if it was aggravated by them, as well as to determine if there is clear and unmistakable evidence that his preexisting sleep disorder was not permanently worsened during his periods of active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, upper airway resistance syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 14, 2016
- Citation
- 1643266
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 1643266.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- 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.
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