The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied as there is no evidence of its onset during or related to his military service.,The Veteran's right ankle sprain was rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under current criteria. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted based on the clinical findings and functional limitations reported by the Veteran.,For dermatitis/eczema prior to May 10, 2018, the Veteran's claim was denied as there was no evidence of its onset during service or related to his military service. The Board found that a compensable rating is not warranted based on the clinical findings and treatment records provided.,For dermatitis/eczema from May 10, 2018 onwards, the Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating was remanded as there were no new or material evidence to reopen his case. The Board found that a 10 percent disability rating is warranted based on the clinical findings and treatment records provided.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence does not support service connection for sleep apnea, given the lack of documented symptoms during or related to military service.,The Veteran's right ankle sprain did not show marked limitation of motion, which is required for a higher rating. The clinical findings were consistent with moderate limitation of motion.,There was no evidence of dermatitis/eczema affecting more than 20% of the entire body or exposed areas prior to May 10, 2018, and thus, a compensable disability rating is not warranted under current criteria.,From May 10, 2018 onwards, there was evidence of dermatitis/eczema affecting less than 5% of the entire body or exposed areas. The Board found that this warrants a 10 percent disability rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Sleep Apnea, Right Ankle Sprain, Dermatitis/Eczema (prior to May 10, 2018), Dermatitis/Eczema (from May 10, 2018 onwards)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20041124
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 20041124.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.
- Denied
The claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, memory loss/memory problems, chronic fatigue, sleep difficulties/sleep disturbances, and sleep apnea have been denied. The claim for service connection for residuals of testicular denervation and varicosectomy has been granted.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's sleep apnea claim has been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Granted
The Veteran's right ankle disability, which includes a Brostrom reconstruction and right ankle sprain, is currently rated at 10 percent prior to November 14, 2024. The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the entire period on appeal based on marked limited motion of the right ankle.
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