Skip to content

March 18, 2019

Is a Spousal Letter Supporting Sleep Apnea Required?

Last updated on August 13, 2024

I hope you enjoy reading this blog post.

If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, click here to speak with a VA claim expert for free.


Looking for Expert-Level VA Claim Help?📱Call Us Now! 737-295-2226

Getting a spousal letter supporting sleep apnea is a great way to get this lay evidence.

If you’ve heard anything about the VA Claim process before, you know that you’ll need outside evidence to get what you deserve for your VA claim.

In this guide, we’ll answer the common question veterans filing a VA claim for sleep apnea want to know:

“Do I need a spousal letter supporting sleep apnea?”

SPOUSAL LETTER SUPPORTING SLEEP APNEA

Do I Need a Spousal Letter Supporting Sleep Apnea?

It’s not required. However, a spousal letter supporting sleep apnea can be an excellent way to get lay evidence in support of your Sleep Apnea VA claim.

A spousal letter can be especially helpful if it provides information that supports the connection between your sleep apnea and your military service or if it helps to highlight the severity of your condition.

For example, if your spouse has witnessed your symptoms, such as loud snoring, choking, or pauses in breathing during sleep, the spousal letter could describe these observations.

Types of Sleep Apnea

When it comes to sleep apnea, there are several types that you can qualify under.

The three main types are obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and complex sleep apnea syndrome.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Regardless of the official diagnosis, all are considered serious medical conditions. According to the Mayo Clinic, primary symptoms of sleep apnea include:

  • Loud snoring
  • Episodes where you do not breathe when you are asleep
  • Gasping for air during sleep
  • Morning headaches
  • Difficulty staying asleep
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Difficulty paying attention while awake
  • Irritability

Qualifying Disability: How the VA Rates Sleep Apnea

The VA considers sleep apnea a qualifying disability and rates veterans from 0%, 30%, 50%, and 100% after a medical diagnosis and service connection.

We deal with dozens of clients who suspect they have sleep apnea. We also deal with many clients who have been diagnosed with it post-military service and do not know how to establish a service connection for sleep apnea.

How to Get Rated for Sleep Apnea

We tell our clients that just having a condition does not merit a disability rating from the VA. It requires several key components, service connection, medical diagnosis, and some proof of life impact or how this disability affects you today. Who knows you best other than your spouse? Have you found yourself waking up to your wife telling you to roll over because of your incessant snoring?

This is where the spousal letter comes into play. This can establish a life impact for a veteran. It can also play a crucial role in firmly establishing service connection as well. A spousal letter can help you if you were married during your service and your wife observed the change in you after you developed sleep apnea. A sleep apnea nexus letter from a qualified medical professional can also strengthen your sleep apnea VA claim.

Did you know that sleep apnea has been medically proven to be secondary to PTSD? You would know this if you were working with a Veteran Coach from VA Claims Insider!

spousal letter supporting sleep apnea.

You DESERVE a HIGHER VA rating.
We CAN HELP.

Take advantage of a VA Claim Discovery Call with an experienced Team Member. Learn what you’ve been missing so you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation you’ve earned for your service.

Spousal Letter Supporting Sleep Apnea

The spousal letter should have a flow to it. It should clearly describe how he or she knows the veteran and for the length of time. Then in the spouse’s own words, talk about the change noticed in the veteran. These changes should include at least some of the symptoms of sleep apnea. Trust me; your spouse will enjoy discussing how your snoring affects them!

This statement should be typed in the Lay Witness Statement VA Form 21-10210. The VA puts a lot of merit in statements from spouses, and remember that these can also be used to establish a service connection.

For example, if the veteran suffered a traumatic event while in service and then developed sleep apnea symptoms, ensure that this is discussed in the spousal statement.

There are several factors that lead to the onset of sleep apnea. Regardless of the cause of your sleep apnea, a signed and dated letter from your spouse can go a long way to assisting you in filing a winning claim for this disability.

Additionally, if you need more information about what a letter for your support looks like, check out our additional resources here.

Although spousal letters are helpful, they can also sometimes hurt your claim, so it’s better to have a coach guiding you in the process to have the right evidence to support your claim.

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to us. Our Veterans are well-versed in all VA claims and have plenty of experience with sleep apnea claims!

AMERICAN FLAG FLYING 3

About the Author

About VA Claims Insider

VA Claims Insider is an education-based coaching/consulting company. We’re here for disabled veterans exploring eligibility for increased VA disability benefits and who wish to learn more about that process. We also connect veterans with independent medical professionals in our referral network for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible independent medical opinions and nexus statements (medical nexus letters) for a wide range of disability conditions.

Related Articles

Elite Membership

Dear Veteran,
Here’s the brutal truth about VA disability claims:

According to our data, 8/10 (80%) of veterans reading this message right now are underrated by the VA…

This means you do NOT currently have the VA disability rating and compensation YOU deserve, and you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of tax-free compensation and benefits each month.

As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and I’m on a mission to change it.

Brian Reese here, Air Force service-disabled Veteran and Founder @ VA Claims Insider.

Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of Veterans just like you get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time.

If accepted into our ELITE membership program, you’ll get free up-front access and permission to use $13,119 worth of proprietary VA claim resources, including access to our network of independent medical professionals for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible Medical Nexus Letters, which could help you get a HIGHER VA rating in LESS time.

It’s FREE to get started, so click “Go Elite Now” below to complete our 3-step intake process.

  1. Complete Basic Information
  2. Sign Members Agreement
  3. Join the Mastermind Group

If you’re stuck, frustrated, underrated, and currently rated between 0%-90%, VA Claims Insider Elite is for you!

Click “Go Elite Now” below to get started today and a member of our team will be in touch within minutes.

Go Elite Now!

Why Choose VA Claims Insider

You’ve exhausted your free resources

You're not alone. Thousands of other Veterans in our Community are here for you.

Veteran Community

You’re ready to get the rating you deserve

We know the pain of feeling stuck, frustrated, and alone, and we want to make this process as easy and painless as possible for you.

Explore Elite Membership

We win ONLY when YOU win

Hear from fellow Veterans just like you, with many of our Veteran Ambassadors having gone through our programs.

Schedule a Call

Fellow Veterans:

For a limited time, you can book a no-obligation VA Claim Discovery Call with one of our experts.

Book A Call

Fellow Veterans:

For a limited time, you can book a no-obligation VA Claim Discovery Call with one of our experts.

Book A Call