The Veteran's sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder (persistent depressive disorder), and headache disability are all granted as service-connected.,Diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, hernia disability, lower back pinched nerve disability, lumbar spine disability, arthritis, right lower extremity disability (chronic lymphedema), and left lower extremity disability are denied as not being related to service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder, and headache disability were found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. The diagnoses of these conditions have been established during the pendency of the claim.,Diabetes mellitus, type II; hypertension, hernia disability, lower back pinched nerve disability, lumbar spine disability, arthritis, right lower extremity disability (chronic lymphedema), and left lower extremity disability were not found to be related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disability (persistent depressive disorder), headache disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19162067
Veterans Law Judge
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 19162067.
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 Veteran's claims regarding entitlement to service connection for a headache disability and entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to May 29, 2014, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for right tibiofibular ligament strain are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.
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