The Board has decided that another VA opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.
The deciding factor: The previous opinions did not address whether the Veteran’s sleep apnea was proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2019
- Citation
- 19106534
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to a duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.