The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, including whether it is related to his service-connected PTSD or any environmental exposures during active duty.
The deciding factor: The decision was remanded because the Board found that additional medical evidence was needed to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed sleep apnea syndrome, particularly regarding its relationship to his service-connected PTSD and potential environmental exposures in Southwest Asia.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19192658
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 19192658.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea syndrome was dismissed due to concurrent elections, which are prohibited under the regulations.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for anxiety, depression, PTSD, headaches (including migraines), and sleep apnea syndrome as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active duty.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, an increased rating for hypertension, a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis, and increased ratings for sleep apnea syndrome and seasonal dyshidrotic eczema.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea syndrome, finding that the evidence supports a causal relationship between the Veteran's obesity and his persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, which in turn led to the development of sleep apnea.
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