The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, restored the 30% rating for a left hand disability effective December 13, 2023, and granted a 50% rating for the same. The claim for bilateral flatfoot was denied.
The deciding factor: Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted due to its causation or aggravation by a service-connected disability via obesity as an intermediate step. The reduction of the left hand disability rating from 30% to 20% was not proper, and the 30% rating was restored effective December 13, 2023.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral flatfoot, left hand disability (metacarpal fracture, tendonitis, ulnar nerve palsy)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- April 22, 2025
- Citation
- A25036641
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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