The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to service-connected chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. The left knee disability, neck disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and gastrointestinal disorder are denied due to lack of current diagnosis.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s obstructive sleep apnea was more likely caused by his service-connected allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. However, there is no evidence of a current left knee disability or gastrointestinal disorder, and the acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) has not been clinically diagnosed during the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea, left knee disability, neck disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), gastrointestinal disorder (gastritis)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20067218
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,240 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20067218.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
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