The Veteran's heart murmur is not a disability for VA purposes, and service connection cannot be granted.,Sleep apnea has been rated at the maximum 50% level due to use of CPAP machine. It does not meet criteria for higher ratings based on respiratory failure or tracheostomy.,Right shoulder degenerative joint disease is currently rated as 20%, which aligns with limitation of motion at shoulder level (170 degrees flexion).,Left knee tendonitis has been rated at the maximum 10% level, reflecting no more than normal range of motion and pain on movement.,Hypertension has not required compensable ratings as it is controlled by medication with diastolic pressure below 100 and systolic pressure consistently below 160.,Psoriasis affects less than five percent of exposed or unexposed areas without requiring systemic corticosteroid or immunosuppressive drugs.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's conditions do not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on their specific manifestations and current treatment status.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Murmur, Sleep Apnea, Degenerative Joint Disease of Right Shoulder, Tendonitis of Left Knee, Hypertension, Psoriasis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2018
- Citation
- 1816557
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 1816557.
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).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the issue of an increased rating for skin condition.
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