Condition
VA Nexus Letters for Sleep Apnea
Direct and secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is one of the most commonly denied VA claims because diagnosis often comes years after separation. Most successful claims are built on secondary service connection — apnea aggravated or caused by an already service-connected condition — or on continuity of symptoms documented by lay and medical evidence.
What the VA requires
- A sleep study confirming the diagnosis
- An in-service event, exposure, or an already service-connected condition
- A medical opinion establishing direct or secondary connection
- Evidence of the treatment required (CPAP, oral device, or none)
How it is rated
Rated under diagnostic code 6847: 0 percent asymptomatic, 30 percent for persistent daytime hypersomnolence, 50 percent when a breathing assistance device such as CPAP is required, and 100 percent with chronic respiratory failure or tracheostomy.
How we help
- Review of sleep study results against your service and post-service records
- Opinions addressing secondary connection to PTSD, rhinitis, sinusitis, or asthma
- Aggravation opinions where an existing condition worsened the apnea
- Citation of the literature linking each proposed pathway
Commonly claimed as secondary
- PTSD
- Allergic rhinitis
- Sinusitis
- Asthma
- Hypothyroidism
Find out which of your conditions a medical opinion can support.
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