The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected mood disorder and sinusitis with headaches. The Veteran's lumbar spine strain with arthritis was restored from a 20 percent rating to a 10 percent rating effective November 28, 2016.
The deciding factor: The reduction in the disability rating for lumbar spine strain with arthritis was not proper as it did not reduce the total amount of compensation payable when considering all the Veteran's service-connected disabilities under combined ratings table. The evidence showed improvement in the Veteran’s lumbar spine, which is why the rating was reduced.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine strain with arthritis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- September 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20060489
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 20060489.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or toxic exposure. The Veteran's claims were based on his participation in TERA activities during service.
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