Keeping a list of your symptoms and treatments can be beneficial evidence to submit. It was denied. The VA prescribes several different types of CPAP machines. Check out our post on sleep apnea secondary connection with PTSD here! or particulate exposure in burn pits, for example), blocks the air path at the point where the lungs move oxygen into the blood stream. You DESERVE a HIGHER VA rating.WE CAN HELP. Brian isalso the CEOofMilitary Disability Made Easy, which is the worlds largest free searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability claims and has served more than 4,600,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013. Click Go Elite Now below to get started today and a member of our team will be in touch within minutes. What is the current VA rating for sleep apnea? Conditions like COPD (due to asbestos. No current medical diagnosis (within the last 12 months), or improper diagnosis, #3. Thousands of other Veterans in our Community are here for you. Research has shown that combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, also known asPTSD, may be at higher risk for sleep apnea than the general population. His eBook, the9 Secrets Strategies for Winning Your VA Disability Claimhas been downloaded more than 300,000 times in the past three years and is the #1 rated free VA disability claims guide for veterans. A 50% rating would be given if treatment was ineffective or you were unable to use therapies due to another condition. I do not response to Individual claim and legal questions, although I do catalog them for post / video ideas. VA claim for sleep apnea denied? Obstructive sleep apnea is estimated to affect between 2-9% of adults (about 15 million Americans) but is believed to be frequently undiagnosed. OSA largely results from a disruption inthe normal breathing process. Type II Diabetes & Sleep Apnea There are many factors during and after service that make veterans vulnerable to this condition. If accepted into our ELITE membership program, youll get free up-front access and permission to use $13,119 worth of proprietary VA claim resources, including access to our network of independent medical professionals for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible Medical Nexus Letters, which could help you get a HIGHER VA rating in LESS time. The condition is given a serious VA disability rating . Box 449, Deland, FL 32721, Orlando, FL: 605 E. Robinson Street Suite 635, Orlando, FL 32801 OSA is a common denial veterans receive when pursuing a VA claim, but it doesnt have to beif you understand the condition and what your claim must include in order to be successful. The VA will call you from the following phone number: 1-800-827-1000. How does the diagnosis DRIVE your VA sleep apnea claim? Note: Millions of Philips CPAP Machines have been recalled due to toxic chemical seeping into mask and unknowingly being inhaled by sleep apnea patients. How do I prove VA disability for sleep apnea? Its likely your doctor will need to order a sleep study to determine if you have sleep apnea. Know your diagnosis, and you know what in-service events are most important to tie to it for purposes of establishing the element of nexus in a service connection claim. She enjoys working with the Veteran population and keeping them up to date with information they need the most. * Damage to the lungs themselves can lead to OSA. VA claim for sleep apnea denied? This includes having a sleep study done, a buddy letter from your spouse, and medical records from your doctor about your symptoms. Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of Veterans just like you get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time. Studies have shown that war veterans exhibiting these symptoms tend to have increased frequency and length of apneic events that can be proven by a medical professional. Signup to never miss a beat with special offers, blog updates, exclusive trainings, and more delivered right to your inbox! This is especially relevant for veterans diagnosed with sleep apnea long after leaving the military. Unfortunately, VA does not always apply the law correctly. In December 2007, he filed a claim to service connect Sleep Apnea, as secondary to service-connected PTSD. I filed the claim as as secondary to GERD a pre-existing already disability. The major causes appear to be sleep deprivation and chronic stress. For a limited time, you can book a free, no-obligation VA Claim Discovery Call with one of our experts. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In our experience, most VA disability claims are won or lost based on medical evidence. This may be even easier for you now because of a new VA new rule as of August 2, 2021. A nexus letter is often the missing link in a VA claim. Since sleep apnea can correlate with conditions like heart disease and obesity, its important to seek treatment options. Sleep apnea is one of the most common conditions veterans want to file a VA disability claim for. 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. I submitted my claim and tried to Link my Sleep Apnea to my PTSD. Sleep apnea was noted as the top claimed and granted respiratory condition. The causes of these disturbances may vary depending on which form of the condition you have: obstructive, central, or a mixed form of both. Your email address will not be published. Sometimes the VA will schedule re-examinations to determine if there has been an improvement with a veterans sleep apnea has improved. In a study of veterans, PTSD symptom severity increased the risk of screening positive for OSA. If you have a breathing machine, you need to provide . Even if youve been denied before, its not too late! Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). caused or made worse by your active duty military service OR. At that time, the VA may schedule a re-examination to verify if your sleep apnea symptoms still exist, and if theyve changed. The doctortold her that the genioglossus muscle the muscle that connects the tongue to the jawbone was substantially weakened and causing her tongue to fall backward while sleeping, blocking the airway. Why? Obstructive Sleep Apnea: aka,OSA, is a type of sleep apnea that occurs when your airway is blocked or obstructed. According to the VBA , there were over 282,300 service-connected sleep apnea claims that were awarded in 2017. 11:30 Why this obstructive sleep apnea claim was denied Sleep disordered breathing, as well as the myriad of symptoms linked with it (such as sleepiness and fatigue), can all exacerbate the relationship between sleep apnea and PTSD. How to Get a VA Rating for Sleep Apnea Secondary to Anxiety (The Insiders Guide), Can I Get a VA Rating for Sleep Apnea Secondary to Depression? New Rule allows Presumptive Service Connection for Veterans particulate matter (burn pit) claims. These temporary breathing disruptions or lapses can occur from dozens to hundreds of times per night. Signup to never miss a beat with special offers, blog updates, exclusive trainings, and more delivered right to your inbox! It occurs when airflow is impaired repeatedly during sleep due to blockage in the upper airway. Seattle, WA: 506 2nd Ave,Suite 1400,Seattle, WA 98104. Was it inhaling the air around the Burn Pits? If your initial rating decision letter says that future examinations are scheduled, or you dont have a 100% permanent and total rating, then your disability rating is not considered permanent or static by the VA. Learn how your comment data is processed. PTSD - A study involving Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who visited a VA outpatient PTSD clinic found that 69% percent of them had a high risk for sleep apnea, and this risk increased with PTSD symptom severity. Houston, TX: 2925 Richmond Ave, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77098 Do I need a nexus letter for sleep apnea? What makes these 2 VA sleep apnea claims different? Also make sure to seek the care you need to get relief from the effect of sleep apnea on your health and life. So she went back to her doctor she knew the diagnosis drives the Sleep Apnea Claim to understand HER diagnosis better. * How to use Medical & Lay Evidence in your Sleep Apnea Claim, * The 39 Conditions KNOWN to cause, aggravate, or be caused by Sleep Apnea, * The 4 Most Common VA Sleep Apnea scenarios and how to prove service connection in each. Id like to tell you about their VA sleep apnea claims and show you why they had such different results. Sleep Apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which a person's breathing is repeatedly interrupted, or ceases, during the course of a night's sleep. You can choose to have a legal representative speak on your behalf at the informal conference, but I am a strong advocate in speaking for yourself in this matter. Conditions like COPD (due to asbestos or particulate exposure in burn pits, for example), blocks the air path at the point where the lungs move oxygen into the blood stream. 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. You can also check out our 2022 Facebook live video on the Top 5 Causes for OSA Denials and How to Fix Them! Sleep apnea is extremely common among veterans, as the disorder is frequently caused or exacerbated by time in service. 10 percent disability rating: $165.92 per month. Turns out, SSG Jones was raped in the Army a very violent rape by a Senior NCO in her unit. Since 2009, the number of veterans claims for sleep apnea has increased by over 150%, according to USA Today. Broadly, its defined as the occurrence of five or more breathing-related events per hour, measured by polysomnography (sleep study). It can also work in reverse: sleep apnea can lead to other disabilities. Thousands of other Veterans in our Community are here for you. 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. Br."). Youll need to make the call on direct service connection versus secondary service connection. 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. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep. Learn how your comment data is processed. He is aformer active duty Air Force officerwith extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Tucson, AZ: One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor, Tucson, AZ, 85701 Check out our Philips CPAP Recall page here! * She sought treatment, and after a couple of sleep studies, was diagnosed with OSA Obstructive Sleep Apnea. When the jaw was reset, it was done in such a way that caused the genioglossus muscle to weaken substantially although it happened over time. Central Sleep Apnea:aka,CSA, is essentially a type of sleep apnea where the brain and the lungs are not communicating properly. Before or in addition to CPAP therapy, lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and stress reduction may be recommended. Both disorders have risk factors that affect both sleep apnea and symptoms of PTSD, and the conditions can aggravate each other. Since 2009, veterans' claims for sleep apnea have increased 150%, more than 94% of these coming from veterans of Gulf War I or the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Diagnosing Sleep Apnea Thats the original copyright date, Marcus; the ebook version in the bookstore is the 2nd edition, updated in 2016. Heres the brutal truth about VA disability claims: We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. sleep apnea secondary connection with PTSD, Denied for Benefits? Is a CPAP machine the only treatment for 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. In fact, even if the Veteran inVA sleep apnea claim #2 had not had a private medical opinion, that lay evidence would have completely undercut the VA C&P examin that claimbecause that VA C&P opinion did NOT consider the lay statements of the ongoing and chronic symptoms of sleep apnea from discharge to diagnosis. I submitted a supplemental claim adding some articles and VA reviews showing correlation with PTSD. 0%: Indicates that the claimant is largely asymptomatic but does show documented sleep apnea. (The Insiders Guide). The Department denies these claims because they do not have sufficient evidence to conclusively say that a Veteran is suffering from sleep apnea without a diagnosis, even if the Veteran exhibits the symptoms of the disorder. I will never prove my claim.. Obstructive sleep apnea can cause daytime sleepiness, snoring, depression, difficulties with concentration, and loss of memory. I already have 70% for PTSD. Regulation Update: VA Ratings for Kidney Disease and Renal Dysfunction. The first step we like to suggest (aside from starting with VA Form 21-526EZ) is to get a medical opinion from your doctor when it comes to proving a sleep apnea claim. By covering all the bases in your sleep apnea VA claim processhaving your sleep apnea diagnosed with a sleep study and connecting your sleep apnea to a service-connected condition with medical evidenceyoull set yourself up for success to get a service-connected VA rating for sleep apnea. Example: How a Sleep Apnea Diagnosis Drives the VA Sleep Apnea claim. Bottom Line: Understanding YOUR VA Sleep Apnea diagnosis Drives YOUR Claim. (In one study, 69.2% of veterans were assessed as being at high risk for OSA.). of veterans with PTSD also have a co-occuring sleep disturbance, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We answer your questions about VA claims for sleep apnea compensation. What DOES Drive the VA Sleep Apnea Claim? Both sinusitis and rhinitis are linked to sleep apnea. Citation Nr: 21055584 Decision Date: 09/08/21 Archive Date: 09/08/21 DOCKET NO. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Including a nexus letter for sleep apnea can be an important part of your claim to strengthen your case for a sleep apnea VA rating. Disability Denials LTD Insurance Denial Attorneys - National Disability Law Firm A National Disability Benefits Law Firm Home About Us Attorneys Our Legal Staff Client Services Excessive daytime sleepiness is the most noticeable signal for those who live alone. 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). There are also many service-connected conditions that can result in sleep apnea. we represent clients nationwide. Therefore, a well-crafted nexus letter for sleep apnea is the single most crucial document a veteran can provide the VA adjudicator to help prove service connection on an at least as likely as not basis. San Jose, CA: 2880 Zanker Road, Ste. Medical evidence and documented medical records from a VAC&P exam will be necessary for the process of filing your claim and could even reveal other secondary conditions. Its an essential piece of evidence. Hypersomnolence (i.e., excessive daytime sleepiness), Mental anxiety and/or depression related to combat, Use of alcohol, sedatives, certain medications or tranquilizers. One common scenario is when a veteran tries to claim sleep apnea as a primary condition when there was no diagnosis during active-duty service. This book is a must-read: I wrote it after talking to several doctors, hundreds of veterans who were denied sleep apnea in their VA disability claim, and after reading hundreds if not thousands of BVA and Court Decisions about Sleep Apnea. This means that a veteran has an already service-connected disability that caused the veteran to have sleep apnea. The resulting reduction in sleep quality and in the bodys supply of oxygen can have serious consequences on health and quality of life.
How Many Moles Of Hydrogen Are In Ch3co2h,
Mass Effect Oc Reincarnation Fanfiction,
Articles S