The Veteran's sleep apnea was not shown in service, nor is it otherwise related to service.,The Veteran’s hypertension was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise related to service.,The Veteran’s congestive heart failure was not shown in service or within the applicable presumptive period, nor is it otherwise related to service.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence indicating that the current sleep apnea may be associated with service. The earliest relevant medical evidence of record indicating the presence of sleep apnea is in 2016, over 20 years after separation from service.,The Veteran’s STRs show his systolic blood pressure to be raised at dental appointment in September 1991, and he was referred for serial blood pressure testing which did not reveal any hypertension. The rest of the STRs also are silent regarding high blood pressures, and the provided medical records after service are silent for hypertension anytime soon after separation.,The Board concludes that while the Veteran has a diagnosis of congestive heart failure, the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that it began during service, within one year of separation, or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, hypertension, congestive heart failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20004754
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20004754.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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