The Veteran claimed his sleep apnea was caused by an upper respiratory infection he experienced during military service in 1962. The Board denied service connection because medical examiners found his sleep apnea was caused by a jaw condition (retrognathia) unrelated to his in-service respiratory infection, and the Veteran's own statements contradicted his claim of ongoing breathing problems since service.
The deciding factor: Multiple VA medical opinions found it less likely than not that the sleep apnea was caused by the in-service respiratory infection, which was self-limiting; instead, the examiner identified retrognathia as the cause; the Veteran's credibility was undermined by his express denials of breathing problems in 1962 and 1967 medical records and an April 2024 examination finding unlabored breathing.
- Claimed conditions
- sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 1, 2025
- Citation
- 25000001
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