The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, increased rating for left shoulder disability, and initial compensable rating for cervicogenic headache due to secondary service-connected cervical spondylosis, C5-6 disc bulge, and spinal stenosis. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the nature of OSA and its relationship to the service-connected conditions, as well as assessments of current severity of left shoulder disability and headache.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional medical opinions were necessary to address secondary service connection for OSA and to discount the effects of medication or ablation treatments on the current severity of the disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Cervical Spondylosis with C5-6 Disc Bulge and Spinal Stenosis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 14, 2026
- Citation
- A26034073
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 A26034073.
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 has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected left knee and left ankle conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected other specified insomnia disorder.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and heart disability, including coronary artery disease, as these conditions are found to be proximately due to or the result of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Neck Disability, and Bilateral Upper Extremity Radiculopathy. The decision is based on the Veteran's active service and medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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