The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the remaining claims of low back disability, right knee disability, bilateral wrist disabilities, and bilateral finger neuropathy.
The deciding factor: The evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea arose during his active duty military service. The Board found that the Veteran’s in-service symptoms were indicative of a mild level of OSA, which was later diagnosed as diagnosable OSA with more recent treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, low back disability, right knee disability, neuropathy of the fingers, right hand, neuropathy of the fingers, left hand, right wrist disability (including carpal tunnel syndrome and/or tendonitis), left wrist disability (including carpal tunnel syndrome and/or tendonitis), xeroderma of the neck
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20024020
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 20024020.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
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