4 Common Scenariosfor Proving Sleep Apnea is Service Connected. * WHAT evidencetouseandwhich path to Service Connectionto use. Because of my PTSD meds and sleep apnea I have gained considerable weight as well as an underactive thyroid. Youll need to make the call on direct service connection versus secondary service connection. The third part can be satisfied with a nexus Letter from a qualified medical professional, as noted above. In fact, sleep deprivation is a common form of torture, as many of us know all too well. Even if youve been denied before, its not too late! . Local Wounded Veterans Gifted with Opportunities to Go Fishing. hbbd```b``"A$,^&d4dZ0;LI`2A`6H9!`qF' 0 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. A medical nexus (i.e., link) between their sleep apnea and the in-service event, injury, or illness; Once service connection is awarded, sleep apnea is then rated under 38 CFR 4.97, Diagnostic Code 6847 - Sleep Apnea Syndromes (obstructive, central, mixed). Below is the schedule for rating disability for Chronic Fatigue Sundrome. Since that time, we have provided compassionate The cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is unknown; however, there are a few theories as to what may cause this condition. 2 0 obj Its almost as much work and it can often take as much dedication. There is no cure for Chronic Fatigue syndrome but medications can be prescribed to help with depression along with physical therapy. 8 0 obj Ask your private doctor for a referral to a sleep specialist in your area (a good option if you have private health insurance). Thats $901.83 a month. Deland, FL: 1607 South State Road 15A Suite 12 Deland, FL 32720, Satellite Offices We would be happy to talk to you. caused or made worse by your active duty military service OR. Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from theUnited States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State Universitys Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class). Once you are clear on the type of apnea, you should talk with your doctor further about what he or she thinks is the primary cause for it. 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. lh20EnM.svSI}][PFkaq-h;qm,=4b~7d #XEBJkb8_]3VL ,zYvA "FJh=2b6`E\ouXj/'|fg I can teach you how to do that. The second part can be satisfied with your existing service-connected disability rated at 0 percent or higher. IN THE APPEAL OF . First of all, lets explore a little about this common disability in veterans, so you understand the condition and why its important you pursue your claim and get the benefits you deserve. Readers should not act or rely upon any information contained in this web site without first seeking the advice of an attorney. 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. application/pdf Weve supported more than 15,000 veterans to win their claims and increase their ratings. Everyone I came in contact with there was very nice. Anxiety and depression can interfere with sleep patterns. This is what is called the Nexus. Sleep studies can be done to rule out Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or other sleep disorders preventing restful sleep. However, this has been thoroughly disproven. I dont want you to think about the EASYway to Service Connect Sleep Apnea anymore. if our guys/gals have SLEEP APNEA in the field THAT COULD KILL THEM.!! Since there is no cure for CFS the treatment focuses on relief of the symptoms. 56 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<729BA82B1983FD4B95AA1B8BF2E87A7F>]/Index[38 30]/Info 37 0 R/Length 93/Prev 108595/Root 39 0 R/Size 68/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream 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. Los Angeles, CA: 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 1101, Los Angeles, CA 90025 Required fields are marked *. fight to get their sleep apnea service-connected. The problem is that many disabilities that arise in service are not actually diagnosed in service. My sleep apnea is worsened when I lie on my back and I still have loss of breath. VA Claims insider is an education-based coaching/consulting company. It is the only thing that kept in the fight and especially it keeps sane and focus. * How the VA willrate your sleep apnea condition after granting Service Connection. Closely followed by PTSD, Hearing Loss, Tinnitus and TDIU. The question raised in this case is whether this "intermediate step" is limited to . Follow the steps below to remedy the above-listed typical reasons for denial, and youll be much closer to a winning claim! Hear from fellow Veterans just like you, with many of our Veteran Success Managers having gone through our programs. As the patient, this can be a stressful time, which is why it is so important to tell your doctor all the symptoms you have even if they seem silly or strange. Microsoft Word 2010; modified using iText 2.1.7 by 1T3XT The Veteran was granted entitlement to service connection for major depressive disorder in a May 2016 rating decision. This is in order to be officially diagnosed. hTOo0| There is evidence of sleep breathing problems in-service, in the Veterans service medical records, or lay evidence of these problems during the period of military service, but no diagnosis of Sleep Apnea in-service. Instead, lets focus on one type of sleep apnea claim our firm has recently worked on to illustrate just oneof the ways to prove service connection of obstructive sleep apnea. Even as Veterans Claims for Sleep Apnea soar, it is clear that theVA DOES NOT understand the full scope of how sleep apnea occurs, medically or factually. We are sorry that this post was not as useful for you! If you are a veteran and have been struggling with sleep problems, you may wonder if a VA sleep study is the right solution. 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. Learn what youve been missing so you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation youve earned for your service. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Brian Reese here, Air Force service-disabled Veteran and Founder @ VA Claims Insider. High blood pressure or hypertension can be easily developed due to stress acquired in active duty. I have a diagnosis and a CPAPwhy arent they granting my claim?. 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. From 2013-2014, the VA and BVA denied VAbenefits for sleep apnea in 76% of the appeals. ; claim denied; hearing aids supplied but disability denied;pre-diabetic; high blood pressure. Service-Connected Sleep Apnea VA Claim | Strategic Veteran Microsoft Word 2010 Are you a veteran who suffers from sleep apnea? put your Sleep Apnea Claim together right. 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. This disorder can also lead to more complications like depression, social isolation, lifestyle restrictions, and an increase in absences from work/school. 3 Steps to Veteran Disability Benefits for Sleep Apnea, 6 Tips for Your C&P Exam for Sleep Apnea Secondary to PTSD, 3 Ways to Get a VA Rating for Insomnia (The Insiders Guide). Otherwise, I would properly ended up in mental health facility or going insane!!! 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. (6.[,P)BLd?8e:}]eS8Sx| XvKdEP,Zbl65k8 x!KSToHjbrC. A/8un$zjHNSPU%=8HF Z*v@l(?6Nx/ 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. New Rule allows Presumptive Service Connection for Veterans particulate matter (burn pit) claims. Whats the VAs Problem with Sleep Apnea? 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 are already service-connected for your knees or your back, you are likely not as active as you once were. Sleep apnea is extremely common among veterans, as the disorder is frequently caused or exacerbated by time in service. 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. There are 3 ways to get it: Chris, To prove that sleep apnea is service connected,the smart Veteran isgoing to have to connect the dots for them. Department of Veterans Affairs She has always had a passion for helping others and found inspiration from those she cared for. YEP!!! Chills and night sweats as well as low-grade fevers. =XG\b?pjbAp{SB~,L8G2*`'x;7i2uPC=Lo:ITXwKVm /! Worsening of symptoms while sitting upright or standing, known as Orthostatic Intolerance. 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. Sleep Apnea in Gulf War Veterans - Public Health Regulation Update: VA Ratings for Kidney Disease and Renal Dysfunction. I am also service connected for chronic bronchitis with a rating of 0 %. Take advantage of a FREE VA Claim Discovery Call with an experienced Team Member. There are three types, obstructive, central, and mixed. Is Sleep Apnea a Disability? A Guide for Veterans 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. However, the VA. And then in three months, I got a response back, and it was a favorable response, and that just, that just blew me away. Veterans with deviated septums can have clear cases for a secondary sleep apnea claim. Chicago, IL: 332 S. Michigan Avenue, Floors 8 and 9, Chicago, IL 60604 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. I cannot recommend Jason and his staff enough. <>stream This opens doors for many veterans who were unable to service-connect these respiratory conditions previously. If you use a CPAP machine, then this should warrant a 50% rating. Brooklyn, NY: 300 Cadman Plaza West, One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 we represent clients nationwide. Without a CPAP machine, the VA assigns a 30% rating. I do not response to Individual claim and legal questions, although I do catalog them for post / video ideas.