The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction. The claim for an increased rating for MDD is denied due to failure to appear at a scheduled VA examination without good cause. The cases are remanded for further examinations and opinions regarding aid and attendance, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction.
The deciding factor: The Veteran failed to appear for a VA examination related to his claim of an increased rating for MDD with psychotic features and PTSD symptoms, which resulted in the denial of this claim. The cases are remanded as new evidence has been submitted that may support reopening of other claims and require further examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction (ED), major depressive disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 4, 2022
- Citation
- 22026619
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 22026619.
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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