service connection for sleep apnea is granted

The same can be said about service-connected mental health conditions. c}gn7 Ds?4S&}eLg\Qz}3l>tN`MA&DDz5:/v Scenario 2: The Veteran has a current diagnosis of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can develop for a number of reasons, meaning it can be very hard to pinpoint the exact cause. injury case. Did the VA Benefit of the Doubt Rule just disappear? Veterans ask me more questions about sleep apnea than almost any other question about VA Benefits Law. There are 3 ways to get it: Chris, Worsening of symptoms after activities. VAs expert indicated the RISK-FACTORS of my SP was a results of what he had listed. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Hear from fellow Veterans just like you, with many of our Veteran Success Managers having gone through our programs. Ill also show you: * The problem with your particular type of Sleep Apnea from the VAs perspective, * The Key Question to be resolved in EACH scenario, * Solutions to the Most Common Errors in Sleep Apnea claims. I disagree. While sleep apnea on its own can be difficult to connect, you have the option of connecting it to another condition already claimed. * SeveralDesert Storm, OIF, and OEF Clients have hadTraumatic Brain Injuries whichinterfere with how their Nervous System works, and as a result, have a different kind of Sleep Apnea (oversimplified, where the brains signals to breathe dont make it through to the lungs). Seattle, WA: 506 2nd Ave,Suite 1400,Seattle, WA 98104. Cardiomegaly enlargement of the heart makes me thing of a damage resulting from a chronic sleep apnea condition. Cleveland, OH: 600 Superior Ave. East, Fifth Third Building, Suite 1300, Cleveland, OH, 44114 Just had C& P exam for sleep apnea. Youre welcome, Sam! If you have this condition, it causes the throat muscles to relax while sleeping. This is a great group of people who really care about your well being. As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and Im on a mission to change it. Local Wounded Veterans Gifted with Opportunities to Go Fishing. Lesson #2: Sleep Apnea is affectinga LOTof Veterans. I read hundreds, if not thousands, of Veterans C-Files, BVA Decisions and Veterans Court Decisions. Also see our post What is a Service-Connected Disability? VA Disability Claim Timeline For Active Duty Members & Veterans, Chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale, or; requires tracheostomy, Requires use of breathing assistance device such as continuous airway pressure (CPAP) machine, Asymptomatic but with documented sleep disorder breathing. If you need assistance in appealing your claim for CFS,let us know here! f%Ygaz~u&d_',BB)Kw4(wb B @WxW4]XE 8L>kq t#]NGW{#}|_ g#0 oZ)OZLmx JqW2! /kso-v"b688Me ) hbbd```b``"A$,^&d4dZ0;LI`2A`6H9!`qF' 0 You're not alone. entitlement to service connection for nerve damage to the bilateral lower extremities, to include as due to Gulf War illness, and, if so, whether the claim should be granted. Emerging research indicates a strong association between PTSD and sleep apnea.The link between sleep apnea and PTSD is likely due to the fact that many factors that aggravate PTSD also aggravate sleep apneaincluding sleep deprivation, insomnia, hyperarousal, and daytime sleepiness. Click Go Elite Now below to get started today and a member of our team will be in touch within minutes. put your Sleep Apnea Claim together right. 4 0 obj Youll need to make the call on direct service connection versus secondary service connection. Scenario 4: The Veteran has one or more conditions service-connected, and is claiming that those conditions CAUSED the sleep apnea. Symptoms can become worse with exertion by either physical or mental activity, such as going shopping and having to take a nap in the car before driving home, or staying on task at work and needing the evenings and weekends to recover, taking a shower and becoming bed bound for a couple of days afterward. This is in order to be officially diagnosed. I filed to reopen my SA claim in 2016. As a matter of fact, it may be easier to substantiate with medical records that the sleep apnea symptoms started after the diagnosis of diabetes. We share our top tips and a step-by-step guide to a successful claim for obstructive sleep apnea! This mistake has led to as much as 76% of sleep apnea claims being rejected (as recently as 2014). I was diagnosed with OSA 10 years after separation. 38 0 obj <> endobj The best way to receive a VA disability compensation rating for sleep apnea is to provide the following information along with your claim: While the VA has begun to show a greater understanding of sleep apnea in veterans, the hard truth is that the VA has still not proven itself to accept the full range of how sleep apnea can manifest. If that is similar to your situation, how do you show that link (nexus) between what was going on with you during service and the actual diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea you now have? In fact, winning your VA sleep apnea claim can feel like you just led your team to victory in the World Cup. Make sure to have your sleep study done. 7 0 obj The first requirement which must be met to satisfy the VA is a sleep study. There are 3 things that the human body cannot live or function without: Blood/Oxygen, Food/Water and Sleep. I dont want you to think about the EASY path to proving Sleep Apnea is service connected. I filed NOD in early 2017 request an informal DRO. I learned that to win your Sleep Apnea claim, you are going to have to put your Sleep Apnea Claim together right. The transmission of an email request for information does not create an attorney client relationship. Thats what Veteran Lee G. did Lees VA claim changed when he read my Sleep Apnea book: Chris gave me the knowledge to file a claim for Sleep Apnea. Philadelphia, PA: 1 International Plaza, Suite 550, Philadelphia, PA, 19113 Many conditions that are service related can cause obesity, like diabetes (and diabetes medications), depression, and injuries that result in lack of mobility. If your situation is not like the one above, remember that this is only oneof the ways you may be able to win VA disability for sleep apnea. You can subscribe to his Veterans Disability channel on YouTube. In my next article, I will explain another road to service connection: obstructive sleep apnea as a secondary disability. A current disability (medical diagnosis in medical records), An in-service event, injury, disease, or aggravation; and, evidence of chronicity and continuity in your service treatment records and private treatment records, or, A medical diagnosis of sleep apnea confirmed by a sleep study in VA medical records or private records (sleep study in past 12 months), Medical nexus evidence establishing a connection between. Dear Veteran, Heres the brutal truth about VA disability claims: According to our data, 8/10 (80%) of veterans reading this message right now are underrated by the VA. History of studies and lab work showing the doctor ruled out other possible conditions that may be causing the same symptoms, Nonexudativepharyngitis (swelling of the back of the throat with no mucus), Tender/palpable lymph nodes (neck or underarms), Fatigue lasting longer than 24 hours after exercise, Neuropsychological symptoms (burning, numbness, tingling sensation, sensitivity). Worsening of symptoms while sitting upright or standing, known as Orthostatic Intolerance. The BEST Path to Proving Sleep Apnea is Service Connected. FromApril 2013 to April 2014, the BVA denied 76% of Veterans Sleep Apnea appeals. In the U.S. it has been acknowledged that more education needs to be provided to doctors and nurses to give them the skills to detect CFS sooner for the well being of the patient. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a serious chronic illness that is common with the United States general population and especially veterans. Any advice on getting sleep apnea service connected? If you are lucky, you start breathing again. Want More Information about VA Sleep Apnea? All Rights Reserved. You will need to follow one of the paths to service connection, which will likely require lay evidence and expert medical evidence. The VA and frankly most of America still thinksof Sleep Apnea asa condition for theobese male with a big neck. They think wrongly that sleep apnea is not the kind of disability associated with a wounded warrior. This disorder can also lead to more complications like depression, social isolation, lifestyle restrictions, and an increase in absences from work/school. I talked to several doctors and sleep experts. You can lose a kidney, and live a full and complete life. Take advantage of a FREE VA Claim Discovery Call. Perhaps theyll have to spenda night with someone that suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, hear the suffocating snoring, experience the fear that the person will stop breathing altogether, they will continue to not take seriously claims for sleep apnea. ; claim denied; hearing aids supplied but disability denied;pre-diabetic; high blood pressure. At one point sleep apnea was the most prevalent service-connected respiratory disability for which claims were submitted to the VA. Concerningly, it is also one of the conditions most rejected by the VA, as the vast majority are regularly turned down. A/8un$zjHNSPU%=8HF Z*v@l(?6Nx/ * 5- Star Lay and Medical Evidence that show you your VA Sleep Apnea disabilityaffects your dailylife. Allergies or sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, or noise. I have had cardiomegly X-rays while on active duty. Even with that little bit of extra information, almost allVeterans are still being denied service connection for sleep apnea. 0 By law, there are three evidentiary elements that must be satisfied for sleep apnea secondary conditions to prove secondary service connection: The first part can be satisfied with any existing medical evidence service treatment records, VA medical records, or any private medical records, assuming you do have a diagnosis of sleep apnea. Template for processing Decision or Remand This may be 20 or 30 years after the problems started. Im 50% connected with PTSD and currently have an appeal in for 100% on PTSD. % Veterans can also prove service connection for sleep apnea by showing that their sleep apnea began in service using service medical records, or by providing a nexus opinion from a medical professional that links their current diagnosis of sleep apnea to signs or symptoms they experienced in service. Sleep studies can be done to rule out Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or other sleep disorders preventing restful sleep. 4 Common Scenariosfor Proving Sleep Apnea is Service Connected. We offer free resources and expertise to empower all Veterans. endstream endobj 43 0 obj <>stream After that knee replacement, he could no longer lift weights;thesudden weight gain the resulted caused his obstructive sleep apnea. sleep apnea is not the kind of disability associated with a wounded warrior. If youre stuck, frustrated, underrated, and currently rated between 0%-90%, VA Claims Insider Elite is for you! Honestly, they are just saying it. Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. Hence, the weight gain. For all about getting a VA rating for sleep apnea, see our post Your Sleep Apnea VA Rating A Guide to Getting a VA Disability Rating for Sleep Apnea. People with sleep apnea are four times more likely to have depression than people without a sleeping disorder.

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