The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, anxiety, and depressed mood are granted. His OSA is rated at the maximum allowable rating of 50 percent. The right ankle sprain and TBI residuals as of April 18, 2019, each receive a 50 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, anxiety, and depressed mood are found to be directly related to his military service, warranting the maximum disability evaluation of 50% under Diagnostic Code 6304 for posttraumatic stress disorder. The OSA is rated at the maximum allowable rating of 50 percent based on its chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale requiring a tracheostomy. The right ankle sprain and TBI residuals as of April 18, 2019, each receive a 50 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 8045 for traumatic brain injury.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), right ankle sprain, lumbosacral strain, traumatic brain injury (TBI) residuals
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- January 25, 2024
- Citation
- 24003913
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,017 · Granted: 36% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 24003913.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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