The Board remands the claim for an addendum VA medical opinion to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, including its potential links to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The August 2021 opinion is inadequate as it fails to provide a reasonable medical explanation as to the examiner's opinion. The examiner concluded OSA is not related to depression, and though there is an association between OSA and mental illness there is no etiologic causation. It is not clear the examiners distinction between an association and etiologic causation, and without further explanation this opinion is not sufficient to render a decision.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25056932
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 granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to a duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including GERD, chronic kidney disease, COPD, a heart condition, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea, as additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's exposure to toxic chemical agents during his service.
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