The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The AOJ must attempt to corroborate the Veteran's exposure to napalm, white phosphorus, and other chemical agents.
The deciding factor: The most recent examinations are over five years old and the Veteran has since reported worsening symptoms for his service-connected PTSD with alcohol abuse disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Bilateral Upper Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy, Bilateral Lower Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19146937
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,017 · Granted: 36% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19146937.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected left knee and left ankle conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected other specified insomnia disorder.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and heart disability, including coronary artery disease, as these conditions are found to be proximately due to or the result of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Neck Disability, and Bilateral Upper Extremity Radiculopathy. The decision is based on the Veteran's active service and medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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