The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to obesity due to his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities. The opinion of a private nurse practitioner supports that the Veteran's weight gain and obesity are related to his service-connected right knee strain, lumbosacral strain, and right lower extremity sciatica disabilities, which in turn caused him to develop OSA.
The deciding factor: The Board found the opinion of a private nurse practitioner to be more probative as it supported that the Veteran's weight gain and obesity were related to his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities, which led to his development of OSA.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Obesity
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 9, 2024
- Citation
- A24053933
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 A24053933.
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
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The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's lay statements and medical records are considered in determining whether there is a nexus between current symptoms and service.
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