Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected interstitial lung disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and lung transplant.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion was found inadequate as it did not apply the required 'but-for' analysis for determining secondary service connection, as directed by the Board's September 2023 remand directives.
- Claimed conditions
- severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2025
- Citation
- 25014585
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