The VA uses two options for rating most sleep apnea claims. What the doctor may do is multiple laboratorytests to rule out some other underlying cause. In the year thatI spent researching theSleep ApneaField Manual, I learned that there are 39 medical conditions common among Veterans thatcan cause or aggravate sleep apnea. * Can I service connect sleep apnea without a sleep study in service? Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can have a huge impact on a persons life and those around them. The polysomnography study records your brain waves, the oxygen levels in your blood, your heart rate and breathing, and eye and leg movements, among other criteria. All Rights Reserved. HtT0DRO`" m)R,aep/>An)`?52nZ^ 3x3Qeo3R}8'h-=d2efHCQ endstream
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Even if yours is obstructive sleep apnea like we discussed here, there are still other ways to service connection other than proving you had sleep apnea in service. * How the VA willrate your sleep apnea condition after granting Service Connection. When I turned my case over to Jason things turned around, QUICK. Do I Need a CPAP Machine to be Service-Connected? The problem is that many disabilities that arise in service are not actually diagnosed in service. When filing a VA disability Claim for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome there are specific things the VA has to see before service connection can be considered and disability compensation granted. When filing a VAclaim for CFS, the Department of Veterans Affairs has to see the onset of this fatigue is severe enough to reduce your routine daily activities to less than 50%, your medical history, and several symptoms that indicate CFS. As youve seen, claims for obstructive sleep apnea can be trickyyet important to pursue if youre suffering from this disability, so you can get the benefits you deserve and care you need. If you need assistance in appealing your claim for CFS,let us know here! We know the pain of feeling stuck, frustrated, and alone, and we want to make this process as easy and painless as possible for you. This will confirm a medical diagnosis and current symptoms, especially if theyve become more severe over time. Make sure to have your sleep study done. We can helpreach out so we can show you how. As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and Im on a mission to change it. 2020 Strategic Veteran All Rights Reserved. One step at a time, one claim at a time, one veteran at a time.we vets are winning!! Whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to the I want you to think about the BEST path to proving that sleep apnea is service connected, and the BESTway to get the VA sleep apnea disability rating you are entitled to. z`tsd#Ex>@"A"M@+5;$ %PDF-1.4
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Chicago, IL: 332 S. Michigan Avenue, Floors 8 and 9, Chicago, IL 60604 They were at all times attentive and on top of my case. Medical professionals did not have the medical capabilities to perform sleep study testing when they served. Your final VA Disability Rating for Insomnia depends upon the Top 5 Reasons for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Claim Denials (Plus OSA Service Connection Tips), Steps and Strategies: How to Prove Service Connection for Sleep Apnea, Step #1: Get a NEW Sleep Study (within the past 12 months), Step #2: Obtain a medical diagnosis of sleep apnea from a sleep specialist, Step #3: Get a nexus letter for sleep apnea from a credible independent medical professional, Lack of Medical Evidence is the #1 Reason VA Claims are Denied, Step #4: Consider secondary service connection instead of direct service connection, Secondary Service Connection Requirements. 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? Common signs of sleep apnea include: Loud and frequent snoring Silent pauses in breathing Choking or gasping Daytime sleepiness Insomnia Unproductive sleep Morning headaches I have also had a stroke. %PDF-1.4 application/pdf endstream Will be some time before answer but getting all the info I can. In fact, winning your VA sleep apnea claim can feel like you just led your team to victory in the World Cup. Cardiomegaly enlargement of the heart makes me thing of a damage resulting from a chronic sleep apnea condition. Youre arent alone. Your voice is important especially when it comes to your own health care. endstream
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Pittsburgh, PA: 201 Penn Center Boulevard, Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235 Jason Perkins, was my lawyer in a workers comp. OY&/Ov{"3 tz0{r
F~2AhtAMR|ED8l .~h7564Ri;:4UY)')dXxrDWm Also sinusitis, rhinitis, hypertension. I cannot get the sleep apnea connected. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Veterans Court reminds the VA: the BVA must adjudicate the logically related informal claim. Therefore, sleep apnea can be filed secondary to either a musculoskeletal condition with weight gain or a mental health condition with weight gain. =XG\b?pjbAp{SB~,L8G2*`'x;7i2uPC=Lo:ITXwKVm
/! The most important thing to keep in mind is that, no matter what the VA may tell you, the law does allow for VA disability for sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is estimated to affect between 2-9% of adults (about 15 million Americans) but is believed to be frequently undiagnosed. The Veteran was granted entitlement to service connection for major depressive disorder in a May 2016 rating decision. 2023-03-04T21:20:56-05:00 Sleep apnea is extremely common among veterans, as the disorder is frequently caused or exacerbated by time in service. Take a look at the Sleep Apnea eBook when it comes out I think you will find a lot of informaiton that will help you understand better the many different paths and proofs for service connection of Sleep Apnea. To find the definitive guide for service-connection for sleep apnea, check it out here. I am a Veteran of United States Air Force and was awarded my first 30% in 1996 and have been fighting for my rating for 26 years I came to Perkins and Studdard in 2019 while my mom was in a terrible incident and was given to much anesthesia and through GODS Grace she was spared her life, She is disabled since 2018 and I have been struggling with my life and issues and yet I didnt call the law firm every 10 minutes or call being rude anytime, I mentioned this as I got to know Jessica more than just a phone call and Mr Studdard was always available when not working on other cases or in court, They always called back and Never had to do a call back, My Review is Simple in Life there peaks and valleys and it doesnt stop because you have issues, Perkins & Studdard took my case in 2019 in 2021 I received my 100% from VA, I Was Never Rude, I was Never Promised Success, I Was Never Lied too and I was Always Treated with Respect, Friendliness, and Kindness the Real Stuff not a (Money Thing) If You want a firm that Cares about the Client and will work on your case even through a pandemic, Will not lie, will not promise anything will communicate your case and will Give you their Best ALWAYS THIS IS THE Best Law Firm for VETS HANDS DOWN Perkins and Studdard THERE IS NO OTHER 100% we had 5 calls Total Case Thats Taking Care Of Business. See you on the inside! Did the VA Benefit of the Doubt Rule just disappear? Even without a definitive cause of the disorder there are noted risk factors including being between the ages of 40-50, difficulty managing stress, and women are more commonly diagnosed (possibly because they report symptoms more often). Follow the steps below to remedy the above-listed typical reasons for denial, and youll be much closer to a winning claim! Physical therapy can be given to help maintain and improve mobility. How to Get a 100 Percent VA Rating (if deserved)! Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. 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. Making the Sausage: Heres what you need to know about new VA Claims regulations. Lesson #4: More VeteransShould be Able toService ConnectSleep Apnea. Elizabeth M. Walsh appeals the Board's denial of service connection for hypertension and sleep apnea. Which primary disabilities make the best claims for secondary service connection of sleep apnea? * WHERE to get the Lay Evidence that will give REAL POWER to your Sleep Apnea Claim. The same can be said about service-connected mental health conditions. In our experience, if you did NOT have a sleep study while on active duty and you did not get a medical diagnosis of sleep apnea in the military, you should only attempt to service-connect your sleep apnea VA claim SECONDARY to another service-connected disability. So, if you developed sleep apnea while in service and still carry that diagnosis, you should be granted service connection. Copyright 2023 Hill & Ponton, P.A.. All Rights Reserved. Scenario 3: The Veteran has a diagnosis of Sleep Apnea in the Military Service Records, or during the period of service. If you are lucky, you start breathing again. Along with a direct Nexus, it is also possible to win a sleep apnea claim by claiming it as a secondary condition. LIFETIME Subscription to the Veterans Law Blog, Quarterly Subscription to the Veterans Law Blog, Annual Subscription to the Veterans Law Blog, there are 39 medical conditions common among Veterans thatcan cause or aggravate sleep apnea, result of other disorders or medical conditions, Sleep Apnea is going to be as big an issue for our current generation of Veterans. Lets begin today's post with the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): It is HARD to get service connected for Sleep Apnea secondary to Depression.
They then tell the VA that they have sleep apnea and a CPAP and hope that service connection for sleep apnea is granted. I tried going it alone and the insurance carrier pushed me around. I was diagnosed with OSA 10 years after separation. Are you a veteran who suffers from sleep apnea? VAs expert indicated the RISK-FACTORS of my SP was a results of what he had listed. Heres the brutal truth about VA disability claims: The proper medical explanation of the origin of the veterans sleep apnea, Lay AND Medical detailing of the symptoms experienced from sleep apnea affecting the veteran since the onset of the condition in the service until the present day. Heres 4 lessons I learned that I want to pass on to you if you can really learn and understand these lessons, you will have the power to really improve and service connect sleep apnea claims and appeals.
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