Service connection has been granted for depression, headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea. An effective date prior to December 22, 2014 for service connection of right ear hearing loss and tinnitus is denied.,A 10% evaluation for mechanical lower back pain was granted with an effective date of February 6, 2014. Claims for earlier effective dates were dismissed.
The deciding factor: Service connection has been established for depression, headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea as they are related to service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's mechanical lower back pain was found to be secondary to his service-connected disabilities and a 10% evaluation was granted with an effective date of February 6, 2014.
- Claimed conditions
- Depression, Headaches, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Right Ear Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Mechanical Lower Back Pain, Left Knee Anterior Cruciate Ligament Deficiency, Right Knee Retropatellar Pain Syndrome, Cervical Spine Strain and Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- July 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19158348
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 19158348.
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 service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient findings regarding PTSD and depression, requiring a new VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
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