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
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 896 · Granted: 51% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25104161.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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