The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right ankle disabilities, as well as sleep apnea (to include as secondary to PTSD), are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The claim for service connection for dry eyes is also being remanded.
The deciding factor: Additional evidence has been submitted that may support the Veteran's claims, but further examination and opinion are needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service or other relevant factors.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Left Ankle Disability","secondary_to_service_connected_condition":false,"aggravation_of_pre_existing_condition":false}, {"condition_name":"Right Ankle Disability","secondary_to_service_connected_condition":false,"aggravation_of_pre_existing_condition":false}, {"condition_name":"Sleep Apnea","secondary_to_service_connected_condition":true,"aggravation_of_pre_existing_condition":false}, {"condition_name":"Dry Eyes","secondary_to_service_connected_condition":false,"aggravation_of_pre_existing_condition":false}
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19125088
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for anxiety but denied it for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's sleep apnea was less likely than not related to his active service or service-connected acquired psychiatric condition.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.
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