The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, secondary to PTSD, is granted. The initial rating for the keloid scar of the right foot remains at 10 percent. A higher disability rating for PTSD and an effective date earlier than August 10, 2010 are denied. An effective date earlier than August 10, 2010 for a 40 percent rating for right ankle fracture residuals based on CUE is granted. SMC at the housebound rate is granted with an effective date of August 30, 2006. The grant of service connection for a keloid scar of the right foot is granted with an effective date of November 22, 2013.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence supports that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and thus meets the criteria for service connection. The initial rating for the keloid scar remains at 10 percent as there is no evidence of an increase in severity warranting a higher rating. The effective date for the increased disability rating for PTSD is granted based on CUE, but not earlier than August 10, 2010. SMC was granted with an effective date of August 30, 2006 as it was prior to this decision and related to a service-connected condition. The grant of service connection for the keloid scar is granted with an effective date of November 22, 2013.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive sleep apnea, Keloid scar of the right foot
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 27, 2017
- Citation
- 1724232
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 1724232.
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 due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's current conditions are aggravated by his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine. The AOJ is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected residuals of left foot 5th metatarsal fracture.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea has been granted, with the effective date set at June 25, 2019.
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