The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and heart disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between these conditions and his military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between the Veteran’s obstructive sleep apnea and his military service, including exposure to asbestos. The Board also determined that asbestosis did not cause or worsen the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive sleep apnea, Heart disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20080534
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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, 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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, chronic rhinitis, and obstructive sleep apnea. The headache claim was remanded for further examination.
- Partly granted
The appeal was denied for service connection of a cervical spine disorder, and several claims were remanded for further development.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R(1) rate due to his need for regular aid and attendance.
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