The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea syndrome due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset during active duty. The Veteran and his spouse have provided lay testimony about symptoms observed during service, but a VA examination is needed to determine if these symptoms are related to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was not enough medical evidence to establish the relationship between the Veteran's sleep apnea syndrome and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19103493
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea syndrome was dismissed due to concurrent elections, which are prohibited under the regulations.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for anxiety, depression, PTSD, headaches (including migraines), and sleep apnea syndrome as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active duty.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, an increased rating for hypertension, a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis, and increased ratings for sleep apnea syndrome and seasonal dyshidrotic eczema.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea syndrome, finding that the evidence supports a causal relationship between the Veteran's obesity and his persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, which in turn led to the development of sleep apnea.
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