Tender lymph nodes usually in the neck and underarms. Signup to never miss a beat with special offers, blog updates, exclusive trainings, and more delivered right to your inbox! Therefore, a well-crafted nexus letter for sleep apnea is the single most crucial document a veteran can provide the VA adjudicator to help prove service connection on an at least as likely as not basis. Hear from fellow Veterans just like you, with many of our Veteran Success Managers having gone through our programs. Winning a VA Sleep Apnea is much harder. Finally, please remember that email may not be secure and may be subject to review by unwanted intruders. .{}p/=jyWG0j#kdLl%*~ P5O1A S-<9o2xmBV1 G(7H^1rnWI\8@I8w 7@$4hvF=/Y 9FsxS@*ia:?4AC,bT_r8{4 X|rGPr-N^j!DU 5|V!"D3Q)fE&Jl`Z9s^Hva$rq%[sRRw8r Here are the ingredients to a properlydeveloped claim for sleep apnea: *A solid foundation of Lay and Medical Evidence showing when sleep apnea first began to present in the Veterans life. Honestly, they are just saying it. Because of my PTSD meds and sleep apnea I have gained considerable weight as well as an underactive thyroid. about the threat of COVID-19 and Coronavirus. The criteria for entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to PTSD with major depressive disorder, are not met. The second part can be satisfied with your existing service-connected disability rated at 0 percent or higher. I filed to reopen my SA claim in 2016. Microsoft Word 2010 Veterans whoare looking for the easy way to get sleep apnea service-connected will not find it in my opinion, there is no such thing. Its an entirely different thing to mix those ingredients so that they turn into a cake. When seeking service connection, veterans will generally need to submit the following to VA: A current diagnosis of a condition; An in-service event, illness, or injury; and, * The SPECIFICEVIDENCEyou will need to prove another medical condition caused your sleep apnea. Just think about our veterans from older eras. sleep apnea is not the kind of disability associated with a wounded warrior. Pittsburgh, PA: 201 Penn Center Boulevard, Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235 Scenario 4: The Veteran has one or more conditions service-connected, and is claiming that those conditions CAUSED the sleep apnea. Houston, TX: 2925 Richmond Ave, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77098 Andmy sleep study was not done in the military.. As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and Im on a mission to change it. Youre welcome, Sam! This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Scenario 2: The Veteran has a current diagnosis of sleep apnea. Some people have developed CFS after having a viral infection like Epstein Barr virus, Herpes virus 6, and mouse leukemia virus, but there has been no conclusive evidence. I only have 50 days to file NOD, or file a BVA appeal within 1 year. In April 2013, the RO reopened the sleep apnea claim, but denied service connection, and found no new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the tinnitus claim. I told you at the beginning I wantto change your thinking. A noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. PTSD can cause insulin resistance (fasting Blood sugar results above 100 prove you have insulin resistance) and insulin resistance causes sleep apnea. Seattle, WA: 506 2nd Ave,Suite 1400,Seattle, WA 98104. When I turned my case over to Jason things turned around, QUICK. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a serious chronic illness that is common with the United States general population and especially veterans. Learn what youve been missingso you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation you deserve! Then present the proper records for service connection with a professional opinion on the Nexus of the sleep apnea. Of those who suffer from CFS, approximately one out of four will become bedridden or housebound for periods of theirillness. This means you do NOT currently have the VA disability rating and compensation YOU deserve, and you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of tax-free compensation and benefits each month. I read hundreds of cases. Dear Mr Attig: The independent opinion of a private medical professional can also influence the C&P examiners medical opinion, as well as the VA rating officials final disability decision. Since many things can cause sleep apnea (like diabetes, insulin resistance, sinus problems, deviated septum, acid reflux, PTSD, heart problems, stroke, prior injuries to the head and spine, anything that deviates the diaphragm like degenerative changes of the spine, and ascites from liver disease, cirrhosis or hepatitis c), if the veteran has service connection for any of those conditions then you can add the sleep apnea as being caused by those conditions. The VA uses two options for rating most sleep apnea claims. Deland, FL: 1607 South State Road 15A Suite 12 Deland, FL 32720, Satellite Offices The same can be said about service-connected mental health conditions. Therefore, because the VA is particularly strict with claims regarding sleep apnea, it is highly recommended that you file your claim with as much evidence as you can obtain. How to File a Claim on VA.gov (step-by-step)! Veterans ask me more questions about sleep apnea than almost any other question about VA Benefits Law. They think of Sleep Apnea as a disease of the obese, and then they tell them one of the big Fairy Tales about VA Claims. For instance, often sleep apnea presents itself in those who have been suffering from PTSD. Brian isalso the CEOofMilitary Disability Made Easy, which is the worlds largest free searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability claims and has served more than 4,600,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013. This mistake has led to as much as 76% of sleep apnea claims being rejected (as recently as 2014). 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. <>stream In the article you quoted, Mr Harrison said, Sleep apnea is not a combat injury, especially if its caused by obesity.. Its FREE to get started, so click Go Elite Now below to complete our 3-step intake process. I believe the two are connected. Studies have shown that it is morecommon for Gulf War Veteransin the Southwest Asia theater compared to non-Gulf War Veterans to develop CFS, but the reason for this remains unknown. If you are interested in avoiding unnecessary delay in your claim and want to do everything you can to maximize your chances of success, it is probably a good idea for you to consult with an accredited veterans disability attorney. For instance, the rating criteria for 100% disability rating for chronic fatigue syndrome detailing debilitating and incapacitating fatigue, cognitive impairments, or a mixture of other similar symptoms severe enough to restrict your daily life and self-care significantly. Without a CPAP machine, the VA assigns a 30% rating. Microsoft Word 2010; modified using iText 2.1.7 by 1T3XT . Translation: 3 out of every 4 of youwill see your sleep apnea claims and appeals deniedunless you learn, how to prove your Sleep Apnea Claim the right way. Portland, OR: 650 N. E. Holladay Street, Suite 1600, Portland, OR, 97232 38 U.S.C.A. Perkins Studdard LLC makes no representation that it can obtain the same results as reported in cases on this web site in other legal matters. This will confirm a medical diagnosis and current symptoms, especially if theyve become more severe over time. * Can Agent Orange cause Sleep Apnea? Phoenix, AZ: One Renaissance Tower, Two North Center Avenue, 18th & 19th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 While an OSA disability claim secondary to sinusitis/rhinitis is an easier path, veterans who are service-connected for PTSD (or other mental health conditions) are eligible for secondary service connection for their sleep apnea, and its possible to achieve an OSA disability claim secondary to PTSD with the right strategy and credible medical evidence. Cincinnati, OH: 300 E Business Way, Suite 200, Summit Woods Corporate Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45241 Youll need to make the call on direct service connection versus secondary service connection. In recent years this trend has begun to turn around, but it is still one of the more difficult conditions to win a disability compensation claim for. Hence, the weight gain. Because of this all veterans hoping to receive a disability compensation rating from the VA should take the responsibility of connecting the dots for the claim themselves. Proving Sleep Apnea is Service Connected its the one thing I hear more about from Veterans than any other topic. My sleep apnea is worsened when I lie on my back and I still have loss of breath. Either way, Veterans have an uphill fight to get their sleep apnea service-connected. High blood pressure or hypertension can be easily developed due to stress acquired in active duty. I am also service connected for chronic bronchitis with a rating of 0 %. Without a CPAP machine, the VA assigns a 30% rating. Why? Jessica joined the Hill and Ponton team in the summer of 2017 and was excited to use her skills to help veterans. 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? With lay evidence AND medical evidence. Click Go Elite Now below to get started today and a member of our team will be in touch within minutes. Concerningly, it is also one of the conditions most rejected by the VA, as the vast majority are regularly turned down. Winning a VA claim to service connect sleep apnea is hard. I absolutely agree I think that Mr. Harris was way out of line, and was not educated about the issue he was commenting on. One of the most straightforward ways to achieve service connection of a particular disease or disability is to show that you had that disease or disability while in service. And that means you are going to have to think through your sleep apnea claim. The VA Claims Medical Team specializes in this, sign up here to take the first step in your VA claim! Thousands of other Veterans in our Community are here for you. Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of Veterans just like you get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time. To prove that sleep apnea is service connected, the smart Veteran is going to have to connect the dots for them. Proving Service-Connection for Sleep Apnea. 67 0 obj <>stream For doing an awesome job. Also see our post What is a Service-Connected Disability? So, if you developed sleep apnea while in service and still carry that diagnosis, you should be granted service connection. (6.[,P)BLd?8e:}]eS8Sx| XvKdEP,Zbl65k8 x!KSToHjbrC. I disagree. No wonder Sleep Apnea is affecting so many Veterans sleep apnea can be the result of other disorders or medical conditions. He is aformer active duty Air Force officerwith extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. If I accomplish one thing in this post, it is to change the way thatyouthink about yourVA Disability Claim for sleep apnea. VA Claims insider is an education-based coaching/consulting company. A 2023 Guide to VA Disability Rates & Pay Schedules, Individual Unemployability Rating Calculator, List of Blue Water Navy Ships Exposed to Agent Orange (Interactive Vietnam Map), Social Security Disability Benefits Guide, Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID), Presumption of Service Connection for Chronic Diseases, Common Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Result: Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, secondary to service-connected GERD, with history of esophagitis and hematemesis, is granted. Nexus is simply a connection or series of connections linking two or more things. * 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). Complimentary therapies such as meditation, gentle massage, deep breathing, or relaxation therapies may be beneficial to help reduce symptoms. Cleveland, OH: 600 Superior Ave. East, Fifth Third Building, Suite 1300, Cleveland, OH, 44114 Symptoms of CFS include thinking and memory issues, orthostatic intolerance such as dizziness, weakness, fainting when upright, and much more. aggravated beyond its natural progression by another service-connected condition (for secondary service connection).