The Board has determined that the VA opinions obtained in October 2022, August 2023, and November 2024 did not address secondary service connection based on aggravation. Therefore, the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea must be remanded to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and sinusitis have aggravated his sleep apnea.
The deciding factor: The VA opinions obtained in previous years did not address secondary service connection based on aggravation of the Veteran's sleep apnea by his service-connected PTSD and sinusitis.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 5, 2026
- Citation
- A26020113
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 A26020113.
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 remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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