If you filed a VA disability claim for sleep apnea, there’s a good chance the VA will require you to attend a compensation and pension (C&P) exam. Preparing ahead of time can help you feel more confident and ensure you’re prepared to thoroughly explain your condition and how it affects your daily life. The VA will use this information to determine the severity of your condition and percentage of your VA disability rating. That’s why it’s important to know how to prepare for your sleep apnea C&P exam.
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Key Takeaways
- Obstructive sleep apnea may be as much as twice as common in veterans versus nonveterans.
- If you apply for VA disability for sleep apnea, you will most likely be scheduled for a C&P exam for the condition.
- At a C&P exam for sleep apnea, an examiner will review your records, ask questions, and potentially order additional tests.
- The information gathered at the C&P exam affects your VA disability benefits. The examiner will typically help determine the severity of your condition and whether it’s service connected.
In this article about C&P exams for sleep apnea:
Veterans and sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes pauses in breathing during sleep. These repeated interruptions can disrupt your rest, leaving you fatigued and making it more difficult to function during the day.
The disorder is common among veterans. One study found that obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type of sleep apnea, is twice as prevalent in veterans as nonveterans.
Experts aren’t exactly sure why veterans are more prone to sleep apnea, but some think the stressors of military service may contribute to its development. Sleep apnea may also be caused by other service-connected conditions such as PTSD.
C&P exam for sleep apnea
After you file a VA disability claim for sleep apnea, the VA may reach out to you to schedule a C&P exam. If this happens, it means more information is needed to make a decision on your claim. Even if you provided thorough supporting evidence and medical documentation, the VA may decide a C&P exam is necessary to determine the severity of your condition and issue an opinion on whether there is a medical link, or nexus, between your service and disability.
During your sleep apnea C&P exam, the examiner will:
- Review your medical records
- Inquire about your symptoms
- Ask how the condition affects your daily life
It can help to prepare for the exam and what you will say. It’s important to be honest and provide the full picture of how the condition impacts you. Don’t downplay your symptoms, which could include:
- Loud snoring
- Gasping during sleep
- Chronic fatigue
- Headaches
- Trouble concentrating
- Needing a CPAP machine
The more information and specifics you provide, the better. It may also be helpful to keep notes of your symptoms leading up to your appointment, so you don’t forget anything while you’re there. For more information on how to prepare for a C&P exam, click here or download a copy of our C&P checklist below.
Downloadable C&P Exam Preparation Checklist
Click the image to download or print your own copy of our exam checklist or read more here.
Sleep apnea DBQ
The doctor who performs your sleep apnea C&P exam may also complete a sleep apnea DBQ for the VA. The VA created Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) to help guide doctors during examinations of veterans. The information collected helps ensure that a doctor accurately records your condition. The VA then uses the information on the form to evaluate your condition.
Any physician can complete a DBQ form. VA physicians will likely already have a DBQ form ready to fill out when you arrive for your C&P exam. If a private doctor performs your C&P exam, you may want to bring a blank copy of the sleep apnea DBQ to your appointment. You can download that here.
The DBQ for sleep apnea includes information about:
- Current symptoms
- Whether you require a CPAP machine
- Results from a sleep study
- Functional impact on work and daily life
- Any related complications or secondary conditions
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Other evidence to support your sleep apnea claim
The more evidence you have to support your claim for VA disability benefits, the better. Be sure to attend your exam with as much supporting evidence as possible.
Additional evidence could include:
- Sleep study results
- CPAP records
- A physician’s treatment notes
- Lay or buddy statements
- Medical opinions linking sleep apnea to service or to another service-connected condition
If you haven’t done a sleep study, the VA likely will ask you to complete one before you can receive a rating.
How Woods & Woods can help
Woods & Woods has been fighting for people with injuries and disabilities since 1985. Our team of accredited VA disability lawyers, case managers, legal analysts, and intake specialists know the ins and outs of the VA so you don’t have to do all the hard work. Call us today for your free and confidential case evaluation.
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Frequently asked questions
A C&P exam for sleep apnea is a medical exam with the goal of assessing the severity of the disability and whether it’s related to your time in service. The exam will consist mostly of the physician asking you questions about the condition, the symptoms you’re experiencing, and how they impact your day-to-day life.
You usually need a C&P exam for sleep apnea to receive VA disability benefits for the condition. The only exception would be if you provide enough evidence of the condition that the VA decides the exam isn’t necessary. However, if the VA asks for a C&P exam, you must complete it or they may deny your claim.
Neil Woods
Neil Woods is a VA disability attorney and the owner and president of Woods & Woods. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
