Sleep apnea impacts the body in various ways, including reduced testosterone production and impaired blood flow, which can contribute to erectile dysfunction. Many veterans with sleep apnea struggle with ED due to these physiological changes, often making it difficult to maintain intimate relationships and affecting their quality of life. Veterans experiencing these challenges may be eligible for VA disability benefits for ED as a secondary condition to sleep apnea.
To receive compensation for erectile dysfunction secondary to sleep apnea, veterans need to provide strong medical evidence that links ED to their service-connected sleep apnea. If successful, VA may increase the overall disability rating, allowing for a higher level of compensation and access to necessary medical care.
VA Rating Percentages for Erectile Dysfunction Secondary to Sleep Apnea
VA assigns disability ratings based on the severity of symptoms and their impact on a veteran’s daily functioning. For erectile dysfunction (ED), VA generally assigns a 0% rating unless there is an associated penile deformity, which could result in a higher rating. Even with a 0% rating, veterans may still qualify for special monthly compensation (SMC).
For sleep apnea, ratings vary depending on how severe the condition is, and the treatment required, and is between 0% (noncompensible) to 100% rating. Higher ratings are typically given to veterans who need devices like a CPAP machine (50% rating or higher), while milder cases receive lower or no ratings.
For more detailed information, you can refer to our articles on VA Rating for Erectile Dysfunction and VA Rating for Sleep Apnea.
How to Win Your VA Claim
Veterans seeking service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to sleep apnea must demonstrate a link between their ED and their service-connected sleep apnea. To do this, they need:
- A Current Diagnosis: A diagnosis of erectile dysfunction from a healthcare provider is required.
- Evidence of a Service-Connected Primary Disability: In this case, sleep apnea that has already been recognized by VA as service-connected.
- A Medical Nexus: Medical evidence that links the ED to sleep apnea. This could be a statement from a healthcare provider explaining that the ED is “at least as likely as not” caused or aggravated by sleep apnea.
Undergoing a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam may be required to establish the link between sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction. Veterans should be prepared to explain how their sleep apnea affects their ability to maintain an erection and provide any supporting documentation, such as treatment records or statements from specialists.
Case Example #1 ED Secondary to Sleep Apnea – Exact Causal Link
Note: These case examples are pulled from the VA’s database as a way for us to understand and showcase how claims are won in various cases. Not all of the cases are Hill & Ponton’s cases, and it will be indicated if they were represented by our firm. This information is meant to assist veterans with understanding factors and potential strategies for winning their VA disability claims.
In this case, a veteran who served on active duty from January 1982 to January 1986 was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) after their service and later developed erectile dysfunction (ED). The veteran claimed that their ED was secondary to their service-connected OSA. The Board of Veterans’ Appeals ultimately granted service connection for ED, determining that the condition was indeed caused by OSA.
Key Factors That Contributed to Winning the Claim:
- A positive medical opinion from a sleep specialist. The veteran presented an opinion from a private sleep specialist who clearly linked the OSA to erectile dysfunction. This medical expert emphasized that untreated OSA could lead to other conditions, such as ED, providing a direct causal link that strengthened the veteran’s case.
- Lack of conflicting medical opinions. Unlike many cases, there was no conflicting medical evidence provided by VA examiners. This lack of disagreement in medical findings helped the Board arrive at a decision more easily, as the positive medical opinion stood unchallenged.
- Credibility of lay evidence. The veteran submitted lay evidence, including statements from a fellow servicemember who recalled witnessing the veteran’s sleep apnea symptoms during active service. This lay evidence, combined with the veteran’s own credible testimony about their symptoms, provided strong support for the secondary connection to ED.
- The Board’s emphasis on benefit of the doubt. Given the consistent medical evidence and credible lay statements, the Board found the evidence to be, at minimum, in relative equipoise. By law, this meant the veteran was given the benefit of the doubt, which ultimately led to a favorable decision on the ED claim.
This case underlines the value of obtaining a strong, independent medical opinion and the importance of lay evidence in linking secondary conditions. Veterans should aim to secure supporting expert evaluations and lay statements to bolster their claims effectively.
Case Example #2 ED Secondary to Sleep Apnea Medications
In this case, a veteran who served in the military from January 1979 to October 1985 filed a claim for disability benefits due to erectile dysfunction (ED) secondary to sleep apnea. The veteran initially received no disability rating for ED but believed the condition was a direct result of the medications prescribed for the service-connected sleep apnea. After appealing the decision, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals reviewed the evidence and granted service connection for ED as a secondary condition.
The Board ultimately decided to grant service connection for erectile dysfunction, recognizing it as a condition secondary to medications prescribed for sleep apnea. This increased the veteran’s overall disability rating, acknowledging the impact of the condition on their quality of life.
Key Factors That Contributed to Winning the Claim:
- Establishing a Medical Nexus: The veteran provided clear medical evidence linking erectile dysfunction to the medications prescribed for sleep apnea. The VA examiner specifically concluded that the ED was “as likely as not” attributable to the treatment for service-connected conditions.
- Supporting Medical Opinions: The July 2012 Compensation and Pension (C&P) examination offered a strong medical opinion that linked ED to the veteran’s psychological problems and the medications prescribed to treat them, supporting the argument for a secondary connection.
- Credible Lay Testimony: The veteran provided consistent testimony about the onset and progression of symptoms, which was deemed credible by the Board. The veteran’s statements were used to support the chronicity and impact of both conditions.
- Medication Linkage: The Board found that the erectile dysfunction was at least partially due to medications for the service-connected PTSD and sleep apnea, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran.
This case highlights the importance of establishing a clear nexus between primary and secondary conditions, obtaining consistent medical opinions, and providing credible lay testimony. Veterans should ensure their medical documentation thoroughly supports all connections between their service-connected conditions and secondary disabilities.
Were you denied benefits for your VA disability claim for erectile dysfunction secondary to sleep apnea, or you believe you were rated unfairly? Contact our team today to see if we can help you get on track to getting the benefits you deserve.
Content Reviewed by
Shannon Brewer, a senior attorney with Hill & Ponton, reviewed the information provided in this post.
