The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his obesity, which in turn may have contributed to his obstructive sleep apnea. The VA needs to obtain a more detailed medical opinion on these issues.
The deciding factor: The decision is based on the need for a comprehensive medical opinion addressing causation and aggravation of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea due to his service-connected disabilities, including obesity as an intermediate step.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Bilateral Plantar Fasciitis, Degenerative Arthritis of the Spine with Spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 30, 2022
- Citation
- 22055848
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 22055848.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected left knee and left ankle conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected other specified insomnia disorder.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and heart disability, including coronary artery disease, as these conditions are found to be proximately due to or the result of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Denied
The claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, memory loss/memory problems, chronic fatigue, sleep difficulties/sleep disturbances, and sleep apnea have been denied. The claim for service connection for residuals of testicular denervation and varicosectomy has been granted.
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