The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted service connection. An increased rating of 50 percent for chronic headache disorder is granted effective January 31, 2018. The Veteran's discoid lupus erythematosis and scarring alopecia are each granted an increased rating since specific dates. TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is also granted.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s sleep apnea had its clinical onset during active duty service and has continued since then, granting service connection for it. For his chronic headache disorder, the Board determined that he experienced very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic adaptability since January 31, 2018, warranting a 50% rating. The Veteran's discoid lupus erythematosis was rated based on its severity from August 15, 2018 through May 21, 2019 and since May 22, 2019, with the latter requiring an increased rating of 60%. For his scarring alopecia (scar scalp), a 50% rating was granted effective July 2, 2020. The Board also found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, granting TDIU.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, chronic headache disorder, discoid lupus erythematosis, scarring alopecia (scar scalp)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- October 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20067068
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 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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including sinusitis, elbows condition, cervical condition, erectile dysfunction, kidney condition, sleep apnea, wrists condition, asthma, shoulders condition, ankles condition, eye condition (bilateral dry macular degeneration), peripheral vascular disease (heart condition), and rhinitis.
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