The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation. The case is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran’s sleep apnea and his active service.
The deciding factor: An addendum opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran’s sleep apnea was at least as likely as not related to his active service, including his reports of poor sleep and snoring.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder with post-traumatic stress disorder, Bilateral knee disabilities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19124625
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and addendum medical opinions to clarify the effects of flareups and repeated use over time.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected spine, hip and knee disabilities contributed substantially or materially to his death.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, functional abdominal pain syndrome (FAPS), and fibromyalgia. The initial disability ratings for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and migraine headaches were also denied. Some claims related to other disabilities were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back, bilateral shoulder, and bilateral knee disabilities as additional evidence needs to be obtained.
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