The Veteran's OSA is found to be secondary to his service-connected COPD. The initial rating for bipolar disorder has been granted at 30 percent, and the residuals of right pleuritis and right basal pneumonia with COPD have also received a 30 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the OSA was caused by and aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected COPD. The bipolar disorder has been rated based on its impact on occupational and social impairment, which is consistent with the criteria for a 30 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Bipolar Disorder, Residuals of Right Pleuritis and Right Basal Pneumonia with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- July 6, 2017
- Citation
- 1725709
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 1725709.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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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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