Citation Nr: 18153201
Decision Date: 11/27/18	Archive Date: 11/27/18

DOCKET NO. 16-40 978
DATE:	November 27, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran asserts service connection for sleep apnea is warranted as incurred during active service. Although not diagnosed until 2013, the Veteran’s sister submitted a letter stating that she lived with the Veteran while he was in service and witnessed snoring and periods where it seemed he stopped breathing. The Veteran has also reported that he gained significant weight after an in-service back injury which may have contributed to his development of sleep apnea. The Veteran has not been provided a VA examination as to his claim. As such, the Board finds a VA examination is necessary. 
During an October 2016 Board hearing, the Veteran testified that he would be submitting an additional opinion relating to his service connection claim. However, as no additional opinion is in the claims file, the Board finds a remand is necessary to afford the Veteran an opportunity to submit any additional records. 
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
1. Ask the Veteran to complete a VA Form 21-4142 for any provider which treated his sleep apnea.  Make two requests for the authorized records from any identified provider, unless it is clear after the first request that a second request would be futile. 
2. Schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the nature and etiology of any sleep apnea.  The examiner must opine whether it is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by an in-service injury, event, or disease, to include whether it is at least as likely as not (1) proximately due to a service-connected back disability, or (2) aggravated by service-connected disability.

 
Matthew Tenner
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	Diane M. Donahue Boushehri, Counsel