The Board has determined that the case must be remanded for further development, including a VA examination and opinion on the nature, onset, and etiology of any respiratory disorder to include addressing the Veteran's contention that sleep apnea symptoms manifested after being exposed to burn pits. The claim will also consider the applicability of VA's amendment to its regulations to establish presumptive service connection for three chronic respiratory health conditions in association with exposure to fine particulate matter for those Gulf War Veterans who served in Southwest Asia.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that remand is necessary due to the need for a VA examination and opinion on the nature, onset, and etiology of any respiratory disorder, including addressing the Veteran's contention regarding his sleep apnea symptoms manifested after being exposed to burn pits. Additionally, the claim will consider the applicability of VA's amendment to its regulations to establish presumptive service connection for three chronic respiratory health conditions in association with exposure to fine particulate matter.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21067459
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 21067459.
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.
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