The Board remands the claim for service connection of sleep apnea syndromes as secondary to bronchial asthma due to an inadequate VA medical opinion.
The deciding factor: An adequate VA medical opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran's sleep apnea was caused or aggravated by her service-connected bronchial asthma, and if obesity acted as an intermediate step in this causation.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea syndromes
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2024
- Citation
- A24064876
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea syndromes was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an upper respiratory disability and denied increased ratings for PTSD, CFS, and other conditions.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea syndromes was withdrawn by the Veteran's authorized representative.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea syndromes, arthritis of the left knee as secondary to degenerative changes in the bilateral ankles, and arthritis of the right knee as secondary to degenerative changes in the bilateral ankles. The claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings were denied.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.