The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea and lumbar spine disability, as well as his TDIU claim due to incomplete development. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his obstructive sleep apnea, which he asserts was caused by his active service in Southwest Asia or his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder. He also seeks a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability and TDIU.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the claims were incomplete due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, as well as a VA examination to determine the current severity of his lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 22, 2023
- Citation
- 23052849
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 23052849.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
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