The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type II, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities as they were not incurred in or caused by the Veteran's military service.
The deciding factor: The December 2023 VA examiner opined that it is less likely than not that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type II, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities were incurred in or caused by his military service based on a thorough review of the claims file and available medical literature.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Diabetes Mellitus, Type II (Diabetes), Right Upper Extremity Neuropathy, Diagnosed as Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Upper Extremity, Left Upper Extremity Neuropathy, Diagnosed as Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Upper Extremity, Right Lower Extremity Neuropathy, Diagnosed as Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Lower Extremity, Left Lower Extremity Neuropathy, Diagnosed as Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 30, 2025
- Citation
- A25039376
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorders, lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, bilateral radiculopathy of the upper extremities, and bilateral radiculopathy and neuropathy of the lower extremities.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximated those associated with a 50 percent rating.
- Partly granted
The appeal for entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted, while other appeals were dismissed as untimely and remanded for further action on essential tremors.
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