Sleep apnea

[Shanesplanet]

I was med boarded in 2003 for a hip injury while I was in the 82nd. My question is this, I was diagnosed with central sleep apnea and CHF. Is there a time limit to go back and file a claim for this? I know my ex wife complained about my snoring but I never have been seen for it on active duty.

thanks

Shane

[brokensoldier244th]

If you are already diagnosed then you should not have a problem with this. Most of us that have service connected apnea of one kind or another found out about it and what it was AFTER service and by the time we filed it was not within one year of discharge and so had to be proven by breadcrumbs of information spread out all over our files. 

[Onecullen]

Is your Apnea secondary to your DDD? That is my problem, how to connect it. I have DDD (20%) and I believe the apnea is secondary but not sure who to ask.

[broncovet]

There is no time limit for Veteans to file for benefits.  However, if you had filed within a year of discharge, you would have gotten a presumptive.  If you file for a disability within a year of discharge its assumed you got it in service, unless there is rebuttal evidence that you had the illness before you got in.  

[brokensoldier244th]

Convolutedly, but I didnt file for 'sleep apnea' specifically, I filed for sleep disturbance and its caused by a combined chronic pain, obesity (from pain and non movement) and my sleep apnea with an auto pap. 

 

*shrug* Never thought VA decisions make sense. My ED is   tied to caudal nerve damage (also DDD) but I don't get SMC K for it. Weird, right? 

[Andyman73]

Broken,

Hey, when you went through the process of the "sleep disturbance" claim, were you already DXd with SA? If so, did you have to do another sleep study in conjunction with the C&P exam?  I was DXd by my private insurance Dr, and have been using CPAP for 2 years now.  I did mention once or twice in my STR that I was having problems sleeping.  Is that enough to make a connection? I'm like Shane, in that my wife complained since our wedding night, that I snored like a cross between a freight train and a grizzly bear.  Eventually she noticed that my breathing was stopping and starting, took her some time but she finally convinced me to get check out.  Anyways, thanks.

Andyman