The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension due to inadequate medical opinions provided by VA examiners. The Veteran contends that his weight problems, which led to obesity, were caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, including adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, right ankle instability, right shoulder dislocation, and lumbosacral strain.
The deciding factor: The Board found the provided medical opinions insufficient to determine whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions caused or aggravated his obesity, which is a substantial factor in causing his current obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2021
- Citation
- 21069841
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 21069841.
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 claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
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