The Board granted service connection for a right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran. The other issues were remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's continuous reports of right ankle pain since service and his competent lay statements were found credible and sufficient to establish service connection despite the absence of continuous medical documentation.
- Claimed conditions
- right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, obstructive sleep apnea, right knee disability, left knee disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25027845
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).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to a duty to assist error.
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