The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and depressive disorder are found to be the proximate cause of his obstructive sleep apnea, which is granted as secondary to these conditions.
The deciding factor: A private physician concluded that the Veteran’s weight gain due to anti-depressants used for his psychiatric condition, combined with his spinal fusion and lumbar pain, caused his development of sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive sleep apnea, Lumbar spine disability, Depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19177638
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 remands the Veteran's claims for additional VA examinations to properly evaluate the current severity of her disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Denied
The veteran's bad conduct discharge precludes eligibility for VA benefits, including compensation and healthcare.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's depressive disorder was granted a 70 percent disability rating from April 27, 2020 to August 15, 2022, and a TDIU was also granted.
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