The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, headaches, and shortness of breath were not incurred or aggravated in service and are not proximately due to his service-connected autoimmune disorder associated with Gulf War environmental exposure.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not caused by or a result of an autoimmune disease caused by environmental Gulf War exposure, citing medical treatises on central versus obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran testified that he believed his sleep apnea was due to his service-connected chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Headaches, Shortness of Breath
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 20, 2013
- Citation
- 1330277
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 1330277.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected left knee and left ankle conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected other specified insomnia disorder.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and heart disability, including coronary artery disease, as these conditions are found to be proximately due to or the result of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Neck Disability, and Bilateral Upper Extremity Radiculopathy. The decision is based on the Veteran's active service and medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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