The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), including as secondary to the service-connected psychiatric disability, due to a lack of clarity in the VA medical opinion provided. The Veteran's attorney submitted two articles that suggest an association between sleep apnea and psychiatric disabilities, which needs further clarification.
The deciding factor: The Board found conflicting statements from the VA examiner regarding whether any medical literature supports the theory that a psychiatric disability can either cause or aggravate OSA, and requested another remand for an addendum opinion to address these issues in light of the submitted articles.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypertension, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities or nerve damage, erectile dysfunction (ED), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, undiagnosed illness manifested as joint pain and weakness, undiagnosed illness manifesting as fatigue, undiagnosed illness manifesting as muscle weakness
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19174747
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19174747.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
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