The Board found no evidence of a current URI disability and concluded that the Veteran's upper respiratory infection is not related to service or his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea. The VA examiner did not find any pathology for URI, and diagnosed bronchitis instead.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined there was no pathology supporting an URI diagnosis and found the Veteran had bronchitis due to use of a CPAP machine for OSA.
- Claimed conditions
- upper respiratory infection, bronchitis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 14, 2017
- Citation
- 1721938
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1721938.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and upper respiratory illness or upper respiratory infection, finding that the persuasive weight of the evidence did not show a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, and requests medical opinions on the etiology of his coronary artery disease, GERD with dyspepsia, and upper respiratory infection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for frequent urination, erectile dysfunction, chronic pain multiple joints, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and chronic bradycardia, acid reflux, bronchitis, and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to the presence of service-connected conditions.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
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