The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding an earlier effective date for TDIU and service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to PTSD. The Veteran's earnings from August 2018 to May 2019 need to be verified, and a new medical opinion is required to address whether his obesity caused or aggravated his sleep apnea.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was insufficient to determine when the Veteran should have been granted TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. Additionally, there were ambiguities in the November 2019 VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between PTSD and sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 13, 2021
- Citation
- A21019767
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 A21019767.
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 Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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