The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea is not proximately due to, aggravated by, or the result of her service-connected PTSD. Her left great toe disability was rated appropriately under the applicable criteria. For PTSD, the Board concluded there was no nexus between the condition and her service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not establish a causal link between the Veteran's sleep apnea and her service-connected PTSD or related medication use.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, left great toe bunion stats post chevon bunionectomy and closing wedge osteotomy with residual decreased range of motion, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20027137
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20027137.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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