The Veteran's sleep apnea syndrome and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are found to be due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The issue of entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities is dismissed.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus caused his sleep apnea syndrome and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea syndrome, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19129569
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,104 · Granted: 28% (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 19129569.
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 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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and service connection were dismissed due to his death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current respiratory disability other than sleep apnea. The claims for abdominal pain, type I diabetes, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and an immune disorder are remanded due to a duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea syndrome, frequent falls and unbalance, headaches, right shoulder disability, back disability, left hip disability, and left knee disability. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were linked to service.,VA examinations and etiology opinions found no link between the Veteran's current diagnoses of sleep apnea syndrome and frequent falls and unbalance with his military service.
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