The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of obstructive sleep apnea, disorder manifested by facial numbness, dysthymic disorder with panic disorder, bilateral hearing loss, hand tremors, lumbar spine disability, right hand disability, and right ankle disability have been dismissed due to withdrawal. Service connection has been granted for dysthymic disorder with panic disorder.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeals on the issues of obstructive sleep apnea and disorder manifested by facial numbness in May 2024 correspondence.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive sleep apnea, Disorder manifested by facial numbness, Dysthymic disorder with panic disorder, Bilateral hearing loss, Hand tremors, Lumbar spine disability, Right hand disability, Right ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 22, 2024
- Citation
- A24039830
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 A24039830.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- 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.
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