The Board granted service connection for hypertension on a basis other than the PACT Act, and remanded the claim for sleep apnea due to an inadequate medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The evidence is at least in approximate balance regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension first manifested during active service or is otherwise related to it, thus the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine applies. The VA medical opinion regarding direct service connection for sleep apnea was based on inaccurate factual premises and a remand is required.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- October 17, 2025
- Citation
- 25013048
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