Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for osteopenia, to include as secondary to service-connected sleep apnea and restrictive lung disease with phrenic nerve palsy, for an adequate VA examination.
The deciding factor: The AOJ's failure to obtain an adequate VA examination regarding whether the Veteran's osteopenia constitutes a disability under Saunders v. Wilkie constitutes a pre-decisional duty to assist error, and the October 2022 VA medical opinion as to secondary service connection is inadequate.
- Claimed conditions
- osteopenia
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25090415
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