The Veteran's headache disability, diagnosed as chronic headaches and tension headaches, is granted service connection on the basis of aggravation by his service-connected psychological, lumbar spine, left knee, and left ankle disabilities. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea claim is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran’s headaches are aggravated by his service-connected psychological, lumbar spine, left knee, and left ankle disabilities, but there is no direct evidence linking the sleep apnea to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Headaches, Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20074835
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 disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorders, lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, bilateral radiculopathy of the upper extremities, and bilateral radiculopathy and neuropathy of the lower extremities.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximated those associated with a 50 percent rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.