The Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to determine whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, including asthma. An addendum medical opinion is needed for these determinations.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the Veteran's sleep apnea was caused by his asthma and did not address other potential causes such as obesity and service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, mechanical back pain syndrome, degenerative spondylolisthesis, radiculopathy of both the left and right lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 8, 2023
- Citation
- 23008097
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 23008097.
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 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's respiratory disability, including asthma and COPD, is denied as service connection is not warranted due to the condition being solely attributed to smoking.
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