The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the service-connected gastrointestinal disorder and denied an increased disability rating for hiatal hernia with GERD and Barrett's esophagitis.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding that the currently diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea was caused or aggravated by the service-connected gastrointestinal disorder, nor did it show that the Veteran first became entitled to a 10 percent disability rating during the one-year lookback period for an increased rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive sleep apnea, Hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) and Barrett's esophagitis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 20, 2022
- Citation
- A22025843
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 A22025843.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's current conditions are aggravated by his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine. The AOJ is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected residuals of left foot 5th metatarsal fracture.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea has been granted, with the effective date set at June 25, 2019.
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