The Board granted service connection for vasovagal syncope and an initial 30% rating for obstructive sleep apnea from November 11, 2022 to May 8, 2023, but denied earlier effective dates and higher ratings for the same condition. The Board also granted a 50% rating for OSA from May 8, 2023, and an initial 30% rating for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
The deciding factor: The evidence was evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's vasovagal syncope had onset in active service, leading to a grant of service connection. For OSA, it was not factually ascertainable that the condition required use of a breathing assistance device prior to May 8, 2023.
- Claimed conditions
- vasovagal syncope, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), adjustment disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25021561
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,604 · Granted: 65% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25021561.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disability, abdominal hernia, GERD, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral foot disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during the appellant's period of active duty.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as service connected. The Veteran's infectious disease claim and stomach disability claim are remanded for further examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis and remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic lower back pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, neck pain, and GERD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and authorization for private treatment providers. The issues include heart disorder, OSA, sinusitis, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder all related to Agent Orange exposure.
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