The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea was denied due to lack of a timely notice of disagreement. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU prior to December 22, 2010, but the evidence is in equipoise as to whether he has been unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment since then.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows significant service-connected disabilities including hearing loss, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and tinnitus that have rendered the Veteran unemployable.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left and right upper and lower extremities, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 17, 2018
- Citation
- 18102974
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 18102974.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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