Service connection is denied for sleep apnea and hypotension. Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and PTSD), and headache disability.,The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are related to his active duty service.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a diagnosis of sleep apnea or hypotension as being related to the Veteran's military service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current disability for these conditions.,The Veteran was diagnosed with hypotension, but there is no evidence linking this condition to his active duty service. The Board concluded that the Veteran’s hypotension is more likely due to nonservice-connected conditions such as congestive heart failure and hypertension.
- Claimed conditions
- Sleep Apnea, Hypotension, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (to include Major Depressive Disorder and PTSD), Headache Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2018
- Citation
- 18148315
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 18148315.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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