The Veteran's sleep apnea is denied as less likely related to his active-duty service.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is remanded for further evaluation due to daily flare-ups resulting in painful forward flexion limited to 55 degrees, but not meeting the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy is remanded as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating of over 10 percent.,The Veteran's left knee disability is remanded for further evaluation.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's sleep apnea was incurred in service, and his current diagnosis predates his separation from active duty by more than ten years.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, left knee disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2026
- Citation
- A26027057
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 A26027057.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- 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.
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