The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation, as these conditions may be related to his service-connected disabilities. The VA examiners will need to provide new opinions regarding whether these conditions are directly related to service or if they are aggravated by a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found the previous examinations inadequate because they did not address whether the Veteran's sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation were caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), atriial fibrillation (A. Fib.)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20065620
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on the Veteran's exposure to in-service chemical agents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to fibromyalgia due to a need for additional medical evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
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