The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted. The Board found that the evidence established a current disability, continuity of symptomatology since service, and a nexus between the claimed in-service injury or disease and the current condition.,Service connection has been granted for obstructive sleep apnea as it is related to active service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's STRs documented symptoms including irritability, daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and excessive snoring. Dr. DellaBadia’s opinion supported the conclusion that these symptoms were long-standing at the time of his post-service diagnosis.,The Veteran reported an in-service incident where he was taken hostage and kicked in the ribs until unconscious. The STRs documented treatment for broken ribs and bruises. Post-service records consistently documented chronic pain related to a rib injury sustained during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Disability, Left Knee Disability, Bilateral Foot Disability, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Bilateral Rib Cage Disability with Chest Pain, High Cholesterol, Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2018
- Citation
- 18158812
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 18158812.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The claims for urinary frequency disability and residuals of a cholecystectomy were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorders, lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, bilateral radiculopathy of the upper extremities, and bilateral radiculopathy and neuropathy of the lower extremities.
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