The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and for colon cancer, presumptively due to exposure during service in Afghanistan. The claim for an initial compensable rating for COPD was denied, and the 10 percent rating assigned for tinnitus was upheld.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence supported a secondary connection between OSA and COPD, and granted service connection on this basis. For colon cancer, the Veteran met the criteria for presumptive service connection due to his exposure in Afghanistan. The COPD did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, and the 10 percent rating assigned for tinnitus was appropriate.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), colon cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2025
- Citation
- A25104161
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