SFC Tom Hardges 8921802 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I’m 100% rated but not sleep apnea 2024-12-22T11:16:42-05:00 SFC Tom Hardges 8921802

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I’m 100% rated but not sleep apnea

2024-12-22T11:16:42-05:00 2024-12-22T11:16:42-05:00 PO1 Private RallyPoint Member 8921884

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>If you&#39;re at 100%, adding more claims will do nothing for your percentage, obviously. Since you receive your supplies from the VA, I&#39;m assuming that you had a sleep study done since you&#39;ve been out? Since they are providing you will the CPAP and supplies, I wouldn&#39;t poke the bear.<br /><br />My Sleep apnea was diagnosed while I was on active duty, so it was part of my initial claim. Other groups that I&#39;m in for VA related claims are pretty big on not trying to add anything once you&#39;ve received the P&amp;T status.

2024-12-22T14:08:26-05:00 2024-12-22T14:08:26-05:00 COL Randall C. 8921903

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Yes .. and no. If you&#39;re already at 100% P&amp;T, then obviously your overall rating won&#39;t increase if you&#39;re given a service-connected (SC) rating for sleep apnea.<br /><br />Aside from a personal satisfaction that you received a SC rating for something that was service connected, the only real effect is possibly allowing your family to receive DIC survivor benefits after you have shuffled off this mortal coil.<br /><br />If you&#39;re 100% P&amp;T or TDIU, then even if you died from a non-service connected cause your survivors will generally receive DIC (as long as the cause of death wasn&#39;t your own misconduct) if one of the following applies:<br />• You&#39;ve had that rating continuously for at least 10 years before your death; or<br />• You&#39;ve had that rating continuously for at least 5 years before your death and have had that rating since your release from active duty; or<br />• You&#39;ve had that rating continuously for at least 1 year before your death and you were a former POW.<br /><br />If you were in one of the &#39;donut holes&#39; from above, then getting a SC rating for sleep apnea would be &#39;insurance&#39; that if something non-accidental happened to you before then, your cause of death could likely be tied back to it since sleep apnea has been linked to a laundry list of secondary health impacts because of the strain it puts on your body.<br /><br />For example, if you didn&#39;t have a 100% P&amp;T or TDIU rating effective when you left active duty, and haven&#39;t reached the 10 year mark yet the DIC would only apply for anything that you current have a SC rating for. However, if it was due to any of the many conditions that sleep apnea is a risk factor for (multiple heart-related issues, diabetes, dementia, etc), it would then be linked to a service-connected condition.<br /><br />One thing to keep in mind - while the VA says that filing for a benefit won&#39;t affect your previous benefits most VSOs will tell you that if you are already rated at 100%, then don&#39;t file for a new service-connected condition, or if you are going to file, to wait until the VA&#39;s &#39;5-year rule&#39; kicks in (after you&#39;ve held that rating for five years, the VA must show that your condition has significantly improved before they can lower the rating).

2024-12-22T14:57:48-05:00 2024-12-22T14:57:48-05:00 SFC Jo Ann Klawitter 8921951

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Yes

2024-12-22T16:35:43-05:00 2024-12-22T16:35:43-05:00 2024-12-22T11:16:42-05:00