The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and missing VA treatment records. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is being reviewed again for service connection, with a focus on whether it is related to his active duty service or secondary to his service-connected PTSD.
The deciding factor: The decision was remanded because the previous medical opinion did not consider all relevant evidence of record and failed to address the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms since service.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20067873
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including GERD, chronic kidney disease, COPD, a heart condition, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea, as additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's exposure to toxic chemical agents during his service.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.