The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been denied.,The effective date for service connection of multiple myeloma is set at September 19, 2016.,The Veteran's hearing loss claim remains pending and requires further examination and opinion.,There are issues regarding the propriety of reducing the rating for prostate cancer from 100% to 20%, as well as entitlement to a higher rating for prostate cancer residuals.,Service connection has been established for multiple myeloma, but there is no service-connected condition related to hearing loss or prostate cancer that requires an increased rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a separate sleep disability that began in service and is related to his service-connected prostate cancer. The evidence does not support the claim.,Multiple myeloma was first diagnosed after the effective date of service connection, so it cannot be considered as arising out of service for purposes of establishing service connection.,The Veteran's hearing loss evaluations are inconclusive due to invalid test results and lack of a clear etiology. Further examination is needed.,There is no evidence that the reduction in prostate cancer rating from 100% to 20% was proper, as there is no indication that the condition has improved or worsened since March 12, 2012.,The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals require further evaluation for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Sleep Apnea, Multiple Myeloma, Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19129847
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an increased disability evaluation for PTSD but granted an earlier effective date for TDIU of August 6, 2012.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple myeloma, back disability (secondary to multiple myeloma), and depression, with an effective date of January 26, 2021. The decision also remanded claims related to breast cancer, DEA benefits, and initial ratings.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal in September 2025, stating that she is now 100% permanently and totally disabled effective April 29, 2025.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected multiple myeloma contributed substantially and materially to his death.
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