Question:
Hello Jim. Hope all is well. Question Jim: Where can I find a Specialist in Sleep issues... Independent Medical Doctor who can write a well rounded detailed Nexus Letter..that states the facts of my situation...more likely than not...that my current Sleep Apnea is caused by my service Chronic Sinusitis in which I stop breathing many times at night. I had a sleep study done and now I must use my CPAP for lifetime due to the severity of my condition. I am compensated for my Sinusitis at 30%. Thanks in advance for your help and please stay safe out here now with the current virus situation Kind Regards,
Jim's Reply:
I refer to a core group of expert disability physicians who I know and trust. You can learn about them here https://www.vawatchdog.org/imo-ime-medical-opinions-exams.html
I don't know that any of them will agree that your OSA is caused by sinusitis...that's a reach and may be very hard to prove. For what it's worth, I use a CPAP and have for over 10 years and I wouldn't trade it for anything...it really improved my well being. I never tried to service connect my OSA because mine came to me like most, I got older and gained weight and bingo...OSA.
In my opinion the 50% rating that everyone shoots for is vastly inflated. OSA is a condition that is mostly cured and the symptoms disappear once we use a CPAP so the 50% rating seems way too much.
Beyond that raters know that everyone wants the OSA rating because of the 50% it gets and the money that comes with that so they're very critical of claims that occur long after service. The only OSA claims I've seen awarded lately are those those were diagnosed in service on active duty.