The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for tinnitus is denied.,Right eye laceration is not considered a disability for VA purposes.,Depression is not considered a disability for VA purposes.,Cervical spine disability remains at 20 percent, with no higher rating granted.,Thoracolumbar spine disability remains at 20 percent, with no higher rating granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's sleep apnea was found to have onset during service and is not otherwise related to service. The other issues were either denied or did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, tinnitus, right eye laceration, depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- October 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19180937
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 claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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