The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye condition, finding that the Veteran's current eye conditions were not incurred in or related to his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), concluding that it was less likely than not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected allergic rhinitis and allergic tracheobronchitis.
The deciding factor: The March 2019 VA examiner found no evidence of OSA in the Veteran's STRs, and noted that the condition began around 2003, approximately thirty-five years after his discharge from active service.,The March 2019 VA examiner also stated that the Veteran’s service-connected allergic rhinitis and allergic tracheobronchitis did not permanently aggravate or worsen his OSA.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral eye condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19175709
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) based on the Veteran's exposure to in-service chemical agents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to fibromyalgia due to a need for additional medical evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
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