The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of direct service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, as there was no in-service diagnosis or event linked to his current condition. For PTSD, the Board noted that while the Veteran had occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as chronic mood disturbances and sleep impairment, these were not sufficient to meet the criteria for a 70% rating under DC 9411.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish an in-service event or diagnosis related to the current condition of obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's PTSD symptoms met the criteria for a 50% rating, but not higher as there was no evidence of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive sleep apnea, Right upper eyelid and right nostril laceration scars, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Residuals of shell fragment wound in the right arm/shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 8, 2020
- Citation
- 20032611
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 20032611.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's current conditions are aggravated by his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine. The AOJ is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected residuals of left foot 5th metatarsal fracture.
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