The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder, reopened the claim for a cardiovascular disorder, and denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus. The decision also addressed effective dates and remanded several issues.
The deciding factor: The evidence is at least in approximate balance that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to medication he takes for his service-connected left knee disability, and that his major depressive disorder is related to his active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiovascular Disorder (to include hypertension and premature atrial contractions), Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Major Depressive Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 11, 2024
- Citation
- 24001793
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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.
- Partly granted
The appeal for entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted, while other appeals were dismissed as untimely and remanded for further action on essential tremors.
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