Learn what youve been missingso you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation you deserve! In our experience, most VA disability claims are won or lost based on medical evidence. Required fields are marked *. The Veteran inVA sleep apnea claim #2 included the statement of the veterans wife describing the symptoms of sleep apnea from service discharge to diagnosis. Obstructive sleep apnea can cause daytime sleepiness, snoring, depression, difficulties with concentration, and loss of memory. Proposed rating must be based on entire medical history, Must show there has been improvement in veterans functionality, If you have a rating that has remained the same for over five years (stabilized), If you have a total disability rating, meaning 100 percent rating. Finally, a 100% rating is available when sleep apnea is so severe that it involves organ damage. If you have sleep apnea and sinusitis/rhinitis, your next step would be to get a doctors medical opinion supporting that your service-connected sinusitis/rhinitis caused or aggravates your sleep apnea. I do not response to Individual claim and legal questions, although I do catalog them for post / video ideas. You're not alone. We also connect veterans with independent medical professionals in our referral network for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible independent medical opinions and nexus statements (medical nexus letters) for a wide range of disability conditions. The most common reason for denial of secondary claims is not establishing a strong enough connection between the service-connected disability and the sleep apnea. this was in Sept last year, fast forward to now, and as i suspected my sleep apnea was denied connection to my PTSD. Brian Reeseis a VA benefits expert, author of the #1 Amazon Bestseller You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits Youve Earned, andfounder of VA Claims InsiderThe Most Trusted Name in Education-Based Resources for Veterans.. Phoenix, AZ: One Renaissance Tower, Two North Central Avenue, 18th & 19th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 The VA awards disability ratings for sleep apnea at the 0 percent, 30 percent, 50 percent, and 100 percent levels. The most trusted name in education-based resources for Veterans. After first reading these examples, the obvious answer is that the private examiners opinion in VA sleep apnea claim #2 was what made the difference. The VA assigns the following ratings for veterans based on the severity of their sleep apnea: PTSD, Hypertension, Asthma, Cardiovascular Conditions, Type II Diabetes, Mental Health Conditions, Respiratory Conditions, Alzheimers disease. You're not alone. In an April 2014 report, a VA examiner opined that Ms. Walsh's sleep apnea was "likely due to her Were seeing veterans coming back from Iraq, Afghanistan, and the southwest Asia theater of war with severe sleep issues, which can oftentimesbe linked to PTSD. 401-331-6300. 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. As a veteran, youre four times more likely than other Americans to develop sleep apnea. If your VA disability claim has been denied, contact our office today for a free consultation at (401) 753-6359. Symptoms of Sleep Apnea Loud snoring Gasping for air during sleep Awakening with a dry mouth Morning headache Hypersomnolence, or excessive daytime sleepiness Difficulty concentrating Oftentimes, the symptoms of the three types of sleep apnea can overlap, making diagnosis more difficult. 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. 10 percent disability rating: $165.92 per month. For now, these ratings are merely a proposal so stay tuned to this page while we update. Click Go Elite Now below to get started today and a member of our team will be in touch within minutes. If you have symptoms of OSA, consider obtaining a sleep study, also known as polysomnography. 0%: Indicates that the claimant is largely asymptomatic but does show documented sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is proven to significantly reduce a persons quality of life (in one study, the reduction in quality of life was equivalent to that observed with diabetes or hypertension). Ask your private doctor for a referral to a sleep specialist in your area (a good option if you have private health insurance). The most documented VA percentages for sleep apnea are as follows: 0% Sleep apnea with documented sleep disorder breathing that is currently asymptomatic. Regulation Update: VA Ratings for Kidney Disease and Renal Dysfunction. 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. Think about it this way: if you are diagnosed with severe hearing loss, then to win your hearing loss claim, you arent going to waste your time telling the VA about your knee injuries. Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include: If you experience many of these symptoms, we recommend seeing a doctor as soon as possible and seeking a diagnosis. These sleep disturbances can occur from tens to hundreds of times per night. In addition, during the C&P exam for a sleep apnea VA rating, its important to make the case for how your sleep apnea impacts your ability to work, your daily life, and your social life. The three most common conditions resulting in a secondary service connection for sleep apnea and therefore a are: Research shows that combat veterans with PTSD may be at higher risk for sleep apnea than the general population. sleep apnea secondary connection with PTSD, Denied for Benefits? Has anyone in your family been diagnosed with sleep apnea? Her husband told her she would snore loudly and wake up in the night often stopping breathing. For a limited time, you can book a free, no-obligation VA Claim Discovery Call with one of our experts. If so, how often and how long are your naps? By focusing on what CAUSED the airway obstruction, you are forcingthe VA to focus on the in-service event and the nexus. Was it inhaling the air around the Burn Pits? The VA has been moving a lot of claims through this process. 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. Even if youve had a sleep study before, its important to get one done within the 12 months prior to your VA claim. Cleveland, OH: 600 Superior Ave. East, Fifth Third Building, Suite 1300, Cleveland, OH, 44114 Anxiety and depression can interfere with sleep patterns. * Damage to the lungs themselves can lead to OSA. caused or made worse by your active duty military service OR. Br."). To be rated at 100 percent, you must experience chronic respiratory failure. If you meet the requirement of having a current diagnosis, you can obtain a service connection and VA rating for sleep apnea and receive disability benefits. By doing so, you necessarily figure out which in-service events are most important to tie to it for purposes of establishing the element of nexus in a service connection claim. Sleep Apnea Denial Looking for some direction from people that have received rating for sleep apnea. How hard is it to get VA disability for sleep apnea? Episodes where you stop breathing during sleep, Daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia) or insomnia, Lack of focus or difficulty concentrating, A medical diagnosis of sleep apnea confirmed by a sleep study in VA medical records or private records, A nexus (link) shown via medical evidence establishing a connection between the service-connected disability and the current disability (in this case, sleep apnea), Sleep apnea secondary to medication side effects, A medical diagnosis of sleep apnea confirmed with a sleep study, A service-connected PTSD disability rating (or another service-connected mental health condition), A medical nexus establishing a connection between your PTSD and sleep apnea, A basic CPAP, which keeps pressure constant all night long, A bilevel device (BiPAP), which provides two levels of pressuremore when you breathe in and less when you breathe out, An auto-CPAP device, which changes pressure throughout the night based on your body position, sleep stage, and snoring, You have difficulty working and lose productivity during the day due to napping, You have to use a CPAP or other breathing machine at night, Your depression or anxiety, exacerbated by loss of sleep, affect your relationships and work, Your inability to focus or concentrate or loss of memory affects your job or your safety, Your disability is considered permanent by the VA, Your disability is considered static by the VA, Sleep apnea symptoms persist without material improvement for five or more years (this is known as a stabilized rating), You have a continuous sleep apnea rating for 20 years or more, The VA has reviewed your entire medical history. How do I prove VA disability for sleep apnea? (In one study, 69.2% of veterans were assessed as being at high risk for OSA.). All Rights Reserved. At VA Claims Insider, we help you understand and take control of the claims process, so you can get the rating and compensation youre owed by law. You DESERVE a HIGHER VA rating.WE CAN HELP. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is also sometimes known as deep sleep. Why would a VA claim be denied Sleep Apnea? Its likely your doctor will need to order a sleep study to determine if you have sleep apnea. Many veterans dont even know what sleep apnea is while on active duty, let alone that they need a sleep study to prove they have it! If you prefer a paper copy, you can get it direct from the publisher by clicking here, or buy it on Amazon, by clicking on the link below: If its all too much and youre ready to hire an attorney that is accredited to handle VA Claims, and who focuses a lot of his firmslaw practice on VA SleepApnea claims, check out the Attig Steel law firm and request a consultation about your VA sleep apnea appeal. Mr. Davis filed his initial brief on September 9, 2019 ("App. Is it difficult to stay awake performing tasks like driving, reading or watching TV? If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Todays post is about 2 veterans at the BVA, both with very similar VA sleep apnea claims. 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. Yes, sleep apnea can be service-connectedand will need to be service-connected in order for you to get a disability rating for sleep apnea. To understand HOW the diagnosis drives a veterans VA Sleep Apnea Claim, we have to first understand the 3 different types of Sleep Apnea, * Damage to the lungs themselves can lead to OSA.
North Providence Man Held In Providence Homicide, How To Find Corrupt Files On Xbox One, Articles S