The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding its onset and relationship to service.,The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding its onset and relationship to service.,The Veteran's right arm/hand disorder (claimed as right elbow cubital tunnel syndrome) is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding its onset and relationship to service, including consideration of burn pit exposure.,The Veteran's voiding condition is remanded for a VA examination and an addendum opinion regarding its nature and etiology.
The deciding factor: An addendum medical opinion is needed to address the Veteran’s theory that his current sleep apnea is causally or etiologically due to exposure to burn pits.,An addendum medical opinion is needed to consider whether the Veteran's lumbar spine condition had an onset during service and is related to service, including consideration of burn pit exposure.,An addendum medical opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran’s right arm/hand disorder (claimed as right elbow cubital tunnel syndrome) had an onset during service and is related to service, including consideration of burn pit exposure. Additionally, a Gulf War exposure basis must be considered.,A VA examination is needed to clarify the nature and etiology of the Veteran's voiding condition, including whether it is congenital or acquired in service.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, lumbar spine condition, right arm/hand disorder (claimed as right elbow cubital tunnel syndrome), voiding condition
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20010657
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 20010657.
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 the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for sleep apnea and an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II.
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.