The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder, status post left and right Achilles tendon surgery, and left knee chondromalacia disabilities. The opinion provided by a private healthcare provider established that the Veteran's weight gain from his service-connected conditions was a substantial factor in causing his OSA.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder, bilateral status post Achilles tendon surgery, and left knee chondromalacia caused him to become obese, which led to his obstructive sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, depressive disorder, left and right Achilles tendon surgery, left knee chondromalacia
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 23, 2024
- Citation
- A24059739
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 A24059739.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or toxic exposure. The Veteran's claims were based on his participation in TERA activities during service.
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