The Board remands the claim for service connection of severe obstructive sleep apnea to obtain an addendum opinion regarding its etiology, including whether it is related to in-service toxic exposure and aggravation by service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: A remand is necessary due to a lack of adequate medical evidence addressing the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, particularly concerning potential service-related factors such as herbicide agent exposure and aggravation by service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- severe obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 7, 2025
- Citation
- A25021303
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,812 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25021303.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea and potential exposure to toxic substances during service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his obstructive sleep apnea, which he claims began in service. However, the VA examiner found no link between his current condition and active duty service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular accident, peripheral vascular disease, COPD, and severe obstructive sleep apnea, all of which are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Thailand. The secondary service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea is also granted.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a chronic right shoulder disorder and severe obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his active duty service.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for severe obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and a bilateral knee disability due to new evidence. The claims are otherwise denied.
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