The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that there was no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his OSA and his military service, including exposure to chemicals. The Board also found insufficient evidence linking OSA to obesity or mental disorders.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners concluded that the Veteran's OSA did not have its onset during service, nor was it caused by any service-connected conditions, including his trauma and stressor related disorder and left ankle disability with obesity as an intermediate step. The opinions were based on a thorough review of the medical records and literature.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2021
- Citation
- 21076138
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 21076138.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for OSA and insomnia must be remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and opinions, as well as a failure to obtain TERA opinions on all relevant exposures.
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The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and a separate rating for chronic pulmonary embolism due to inadequate VA examinations.
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The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's lay statements and medical records are considered in determining whether there is a nexus between current symptoms and service.
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