The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD and nose fracture residuals with deviated septum and breathing problems.,There is no evidence of a gastrointestinal disorder during or after service, thus the claim for this condition is denied.,Diabetes mellitus was not diagnosed within one year post-service, so it cannot be presumed by law. The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus is therefore denied.,The Veteran's neuropathy of the right lower extremity does not meet presumptive criteria and is thus denied.,Neuropathy of the left lower extremity was granted as secondary to Agent Orange exposure.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports a finding that the Veteran’s sleep apnea is caused by his service-connected PTSD and nose fracture residuals with deviated septum and breathing problems, leading to the grant of service connection for this condition.,There is no current diagnosis or evidence linking the Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder to service. The preponderance of evidence weighs against finding a current disability related to service.,The Veteran does not have diabetes mellitus within one year post-service, and there is insufficient evidence to confirm its presence at any time during the appeal period. Therefore, the claim for diabetes mellitus is denied.,Neuropathy of the right lower extremity was not diagnosed or linked to service, thus it cannot be granted as a presumptive condition under Agent Orange exposure.,The Veteran's neuropathy of the left lower extremity meets the criteria for presumptive service connection due to Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal disorder, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, neuropathy of the right lower extremity, sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19112903
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19112903.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.