The Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to service, as it was diagnosed years after discharge and the medical evidence does not support a link.,The Veteran has a residual scar from a spider bite in service that still causes itching. The examiner confirmed this as a residual of an 1988 spider bite treated with outpatient surgery.,There is no clear and unmistakable evidence to show that the left ankle sprain existed prior to service, but its aggravation by service cannot be shown.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no link between the Veteran's sleep apnea and his military service. The diagnosis was made years after discharge and there is no medical evidence linking it to service.,The scar from the spider bite in 1988 has persisted, confirming its residual status as a result of that event.,There is no clear and unmistakable evidence showing the left ankle sprain existed prior to service. The examiner found no aggravation by service.
- Claimed conditions
- Sleep Apnea, Residuals of a Spider Bite to the Right Arm, Left Ankle Sprain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 13, 2015
- Citation
- 1515820
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 1515820.
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The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for PTSD, denied service connection for CFS, mast cell activation syndrome, and sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD, and remanded TDIU.
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