Service connection for tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea, right knee strain, PTSD, sinusitis, and rhinitis (bacterial and allergic) is granted.,An effective date prior to February 17, 2016, for the grant of a 10 percent rating for right ankle strain is denied. Service connection for PTSD, sinusitis, and rhinitis (bacterial and allergic) is also granted with an effective date of February 17, 2016.,The Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea.
The deciding factor: Tinnitus was incurred in service and has continued since then. The Veteran reported that tinnitus began in service and has existed from service to the present.,Obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to service-connected PTSD, as evidenced by a recent study finding an arousal-based mechanism initiated by PTSD that promotes the development of obstructive sleep apnea in trauma survivors. The Veteran's CPAP mask used to treat his sleep apnea increased his psychiatric symptoms and made him feel claustrophobic, anxious, and have panic attacks.,The right ankle strain was not previously service-connected but is now granted with an effective date of February 17, 2016.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea, right ankle strain, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sinusitis, rhinitis (bacterial and allergic), right knee strain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19148602
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,242 · Granted: 24% (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 19148602.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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