The Board granted service connection for lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease and denied a compensable evaluation for bilateral hydroceles. The claims for left knee strain and instability, as well as obstructive sleep apnea, were remanded for further readjudication.
The deciding factor: The May 2013 VA examination found that the lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease was at least as likely as not caused by active service. The evidence did not support a compensable rating for bilateral hydroceles under the post-amendment criteria, and further readjudication of the other claims is necessary.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease, left knee strain and instability, obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 17, 2024
- Citation
- A24066718
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to a duty to assist error.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including GERD, chronic kidney disease, COPD, a heart condition, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea, as additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's exposure to toxic chemical agents during his service.
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