The Veteran's cervical spine disability was increased to 40 percent disabling effective February 18, 2020, and service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD and radiculopathy was granted. The Veteran was also granted individual unemployability from September 21, 2020.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the findings that the Veteran's OSA is due to his service-connected PTSD and radiculopathy, and that his service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical strain with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), foraminal stenosis and disc herniation, sleep apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25037910
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 948 · Granted: 52% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A25037910.
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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of somatic symptom disorder. The effective date for the grant of service connection for sleep apnea (OSA) was set at February 4, 2020, and a rating in excess of 50 percent for OSA is denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea began during his active service and grants service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for sleep apnea (OSA) and a heart condition due to new evidence being submitted. The Veteran's private medical opinions linking his conditions to service are considered insufficient, and VA examinations have not provided causation opinions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea (OSA) is remanded due to inadequate VA medical opinions and a need for additional information regarding the relationship between his OSA and service, as well as any toxic exposure during service.
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