The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected sleep apnea contributed to his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's CPAP usage was not a significant contributing factor to his death, but other medical evidence showed that his sleep apnea and use of the CPAP mask were factors in his fatal cardio-pulmonary arrest.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, bilateral patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative joint disease, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, tinnitus, irritable bowel syndrome, social phobia, residuals of a right fifth metacarpal fracture, status post traumatic left tympanic membrane rupture, recurrent nasal bloody discharge, mitral valve prolapse, hemorrhoids, impetigo barbae, left lower chin
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2009
- Citation
- 0915490
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0915490.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and will provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.