The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea disorder as secondary to his service-connected rhinitis with sinusitis, finding that the weight gain after separation from service rather than the service-connected condition caused or aggravated the current sleep apnea.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran’s substantial weight gain of 30 lbs. was what caused or aggravated the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea disorder, not his service-connected rhinitis with sinusitis.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea disorder, rhinitis with sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2018
- Citation
- 18147673
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 18147673.
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).
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