Keep in mind that even if you are rated at 50, you still have to have a nexus letter written linking your disability rating with your time in service.Ĭlick here to learn more. If you have a CPAP machine, you are automatically rated at a 50. If you feel groggy most of the time, you may rate a 30. Hypersomnolence is excessive tiredness during the daytime. Under these ratings, sleep apnea can be rated as a 0, 30, 50, or 100.Ġ Asymptomatic but with a documented sleep disorderĥ0 Requires use of a breathing assistance device such as continuous airway pressure (CPAP) machineġ00 Chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale, or requires tracheostomy Sleep apnea falls under the respiratory system guidelines. The VA uses the Federal Schedule of Ratings to rate disabilities. The link between the two may be sleep deprivation while on duty, chronic stress, and disturbed sleep in combat, among other things. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has also been linked to sleep apnea in veterans. If you suffered from a stroke while you served, there may be a l i nk between this and sleep apnea diagnosed at a later time. Taking such medications for a service-connected accident may provide your nexus, or connection, for your VA disability for sleep apnea. Long-acting opioid medications that are used to help with pain have been known to cause sleep apnea. If you were injured in the line of duty and unable to get healthy exercise, thus resulting in obesity, sleep apnea could be linked to the injury sustained. Obesity has been linked to sleep apnea, as weight gain and thickening of the neck can restrict airways. There are many issues that can be an underlying cause of sleep apnea. What Primary Conditions Can Cause Secondary Sleep Apnea? A Nexus letter helps in linking service-connected conditions with your sleep apnea, and is a requirement to receive VA disability. A nexus letter can then be written by a doctor. Normally, a sleep study is conducted to diagnose sleep apnea. These include documented records, your type of service, your pre-existing conditions, and the VA’s overall ruling. Many variables are taken into consideration when making service connections to your disabilities.
#INSOMNIA VA RATING HOW TO#
How to Prove Sleep Apnea is Service Connected As such, any secondary condition is still considered for VA Disability as it is indirectly connected to your service. How can a disorder for sleep and restricted airways be considered service-connected?Īs previously stated, injuries sustained during active duty can cause other problems.
#INSOMNIA VA RATING CODE#
Sleep apnea is considered a VA disability under the Federal Schedule for Rating Disabilities 38 CFR § 4.97, Code 6847. Is Sleep Apnea Considered a VA Disability? Less commonly, sleep apnea can be caused by the brain failing to transmit signals to your lungs to breathe while you are sleeping. Your brain responds to this by waking you up to reopen the airway. This condition can be caused by an obstruction of the airway that causes the airways to narrow and not allow enough oxygen into your bloodstream while sleeping. Mayo Clinic defines sleep apnea as “a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.” Is sleep apnea one of these secondary issues? What Is Sleep Apnea? What people may not know is that secondary issues may arise from service-connected injuries and that these can be counted towards your overall VA Disability rating. If someone is injured while enlisted, they are likely eligible for VA Disability Benefits. Veterans know that there is a great risk of injury on the job.
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