The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service-connected PTSD and/or ischemic heart disease, or if obesity caused by these conditions is a substantial factor in causing or aggravating his sleep apnea.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not sufficiently answer the questions posed in the March 2018 remand instructions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused obesity and whether this obesity was a substantial factor in causing or aggravating his sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ischemic heart disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20000845
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 Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to a duty to assist error.
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