The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions on sleep disorders and secondary service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner was not able to provide an adequate opinion regarding all potential sleep disorders, including those with a mental health etiology. The Veteran's representative raised additional theories of recovery related to obesity and musculoskeletal conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Sleep Disorder, Obesity, Chronic Renal Insufficiency, Temporomandibular Joint Pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 27, 2023
- Citation
- 23062577
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 23062577.
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 the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it is secondary to her service-connected PTSD and obesity. The decision also acknowledges the Veteran's participation in a TERA during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, as it is unclear whether his condition is caused or aggravated by his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities and obesity. The AOJ will need to provide a VA examination to clarify these issues.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there is no competent evidence to suggest that PTSD contributed to his passing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and causation of the Veteran's OSA. The AOJ is required to obtain an addendum opinion from a qualified examiner to address these issues.
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