The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection of sleep apnea syndrome due to the need for a VA examination to determine its nature and etiology, as well as whether it is related to service or any other condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnosis of sleep apnea was made more than 30 years after service, and no medical opinion has been provided regarding its relationship to service. The Board finds that a VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s sleep disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19176493
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,645 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19176493.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea syndrome, frequent falls and unbalance, headaches, right shoulder disability, back disability, left hip disability, and left knee disability. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were linked to service.,VA examinations and etiology opinions found no link between the Veteran's current diagnoses of sleep apnea syndrome and frequent falls and unbalance with his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea syndrome, finding that new and relevant evidence supports this determination. The Veteran's current diagnosis of sleep apnea is linked to his active duty service.
- Granted
The Veteran's migraines and sleep apnea syndrome are currently rated at the maximum schedular disability rating of 50 percent.,An earlier effective date of March 18, 2020, is granted for the grant of service connection for migraines.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety and sleep apnea syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including examinations.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.