The Board has remanded the claims for left knee disabilities, right knee instability, and sleep apnea due to service-connected left knee disabilities. The Veteran's left knee disabilities include arthritis and instability, while his right knee disability is claimed as secondary to these conditions. His sleep apnea claim involves obesity as an intermediate factor between his service-connected left knee disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA examinations did not adequately address the functional impact of the Veteran's medications on his left knee disabilities and that a new examination was needed for this purpose. The right knee instability claim required clarification of all disabilities affecting the Veteran's right knee, including sprain and instability, and an opinion regarding their etiology. For sleep apnea, the Board found it necessary to determine if obesity served as an intermediate factor between his service-connected left knee disabilities and his claimed condition.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee arthritis, right knee instability with arthritis, sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 23, 2026
- Citation
- A26025910
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 A26025910.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for sleep apnea and an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II.
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