The Board has granted service connection for OSA, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's leg disability is considered secondary to a service-connected back disability and claimed diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are more likely than not related to obesity resulting from his service-connected neck, back, and knee conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a bilateral leg disability (likely secondary to a service-connected back disability and claimed diabetes mellitus), heart disability, hypertension, diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 1, 2017
- Citation
- 1719545
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 1719545.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- 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.
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