The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating higher than 10 percent for left thumb sprain and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than August 26, 2015, for the grant of a 50 percent rating for his psychiatric disorder is denied. The Board finds that there is no evidence showing worsening of symptoms within one year prior to the August 26, 2015, increased rating claim.,The Veteran's service connection claims for right thumb disability and headaches are granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to support his claims for an earlier effective date or service connection. The Board found that there was no worsening of symptoms within one year prior to the August 26, 2015, increased rating claim.
- Claimed conditions
- left thumb sprain, obstructive sleep apnea, psychiatric disorder (depression not otherwise specified and adjustment disorder with mixed disturbances of emotion and conduct), right thumb disability, headaches
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- July 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19153755
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,604 · Granted: 65% (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 19153755.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and will provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.
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