Sleep Apnea VA Disability Rating: How to Get Service-Connected

Sleep Apnea VA Disability Ratings

Sleep apnea is rated under Diagnostic Code 6847. Ratings depend on severity and treatment:

Rating	Criteria
0%	Asymptomatic but with documented sleep disorder
30%	Persistent hypersomnolence (daytime sleepiness)
50%	Requires use of a CPAP machine
100%	Chronic respiratory failure with CO2 retention, cor pulmonale, or requires tracheostomy

Key insight: Most veterans with sleep apnea who use a CPAP machine receive 50%, which is one of the higher single-condition ratings.

Service Connection Pathways

Direct service connection is difficult unless you were diagnosed during service or had a sleep study in service. Most veterans pursue:

Secondary service connection — Sleep apnea caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition:

• PTSD — Strong medical literature connecting PTSD to sleep apnea (stress hormones, weight gain, altered sleep architecture)
• Weight gain from limited mobility — Service-connected injuries that limit exercise can lead to obesity, which causes sleep apnea
• TBI — Brain injury can affect the brain's control of breathing during sleep
• Medications — Psychiatric medications causing weight gain

Presumptive — Under the PACT Act, some deployment-related environmental exposures may support a sleep apnea claim.

What You Need

1. Current diagnosis — A formal sleep study (polysomnography) showing obstructive sleep apnea
2. CPAP prescription — Documentation that a CPAP is medically necessary
3. Nexus opinion — A doctor's opinion connecting sleep apnea to your service-connected condition
4. Buddy statements — Fellow service members or spouse documenting snoring, gasping, daytime fatigue during/after service

Common Mistakes

• Filing without a sleep study — the VA requires polysomnography, not just self-reported symptoms
• Not connecting to an already service-connected condition (secondary pathway)
• Missing the weight gain connection — document your weight at enlistment vs. now