The Veteran's chronic lymphocytic leukemia is granted service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is denied as not related to his active duty.
The deciding factor: Service personnel records confirm the Veteran served at Udorn RTAFB, where he was exposed to Agent Orange and performed duties near the perimeter of the base, leading to presumed exposure for lymphocytic leukemia. The lack of post-service complaints or treatment until 2016, combined with normal service treatment findings, supports denying obstructive sleep apnea as not related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 21, 2023
- Citation
- 23040108
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 23040108.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as service connected. The Veteran's infectious disease claim and stomach disability claim are remanded for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a medical examination regarding the severity of his residuals from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including chronic fatigue. The initial compensable rating for CLL remains denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with persistent depressive disorder and insomnia.
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