The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be proximately caused by his service-connected right papilloma. The Board finds the evidence does not support a grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and chronic sinusitis on a secondary basis.
The deciding factor: The February 2017 VA examination did not provide an opinion regarding secondary service connection, and the addendum opinion from another doctor stated that the Veteran's sleep apnea was 'not related' to the right papilloma. The Board finds the June 2006 opinion of the VAMC physician more probative as it explained the physiological process.
- Claimed conditions
- {"conditionName":"bilateral hearing loss disability"}, {"conditionName":"chronic sinusitis"}, {"conditionName":"sleep apnea"}
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2018
- Citation
- 1808575
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 1808575.
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.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The issue of left knee strain is remanded as it requires additional development.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his active military service. The bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for a current disability as defined by VA regulations.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis and initial compensable disability ratings for migraine headaches prior to June 24, 2009, as well as a higher rating for migraine headaches as of that date, were denied. The Board found no evidence of sinusitis during active duty or ACDUTRA, and there was insufficient medical nexus between the Veteran's time in service and his current condition.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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