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 assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20004754
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease, and no competent evidence linking the condition to service.
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