The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than March 24, 2011 for sciatica of the left lower extremity and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (to include depression) were dismissed. The claim for a compensable rating for obstructive sleep apnea was granted from May 20, 2015 to July 4, 2016 with a 30 percent rating, and from July 5, 2016 with a 50 percent rating. The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to May 20, 2015 was denied due to the presence of other service-connected disabilities that precluded him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment. From May 20, 2015 onwards, his claim for TDIU was granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were dismissed because he did not file a notice of disagreement with the April 2014 Board decision regarding an earlier effective date. The medical evidence demonstrated that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment prior to May 20, 2015.
- Claimed conditions
- sciatica of the left lower extremity, acquired psychiatric disability (to include depression), obstructive sleep apnea, residuals from surgery with decreased sensation in right lower lip and chin
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- April 10, 2018
- Citation
- 1821367
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 1821367.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or toxic exposure. The Veteran's claims were based on his participation in TERA activities during service.
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