The Board granted service connection for loss of teeth, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor. The claims for valvular heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) were remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
The deciding factor: The evidence was in approximate balance, so the benefit of the doubt was given to the Veteran regarding his loss of teeth. The other claims required further development.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of teeth, valvular heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), claimed as loss of balance
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- July 9, 2025
- Citation
- A25058656
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a 100 percent rating for valvular heart disease based on MET testing showing that at a workload of 3 METs or less, the condition results in fatigue and breathlessness.
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