The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, left shoulder bicipital tendon tear, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, and left carpal tunnel syndrome. The claims for increased ratings for lumbar spondylosis with facet arthropathy and lumbosacral strain, right hip strain with osteoarthritis, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, left and right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (to include iliotibial band syndrome), and chronic right wrist sprain were denied. The Board also granted an effective date of July 7, 2023 for the award of increased ratings.

The deciding factor: The evidence was approximately evenly balanced as to whether certain conditions began during active service, leading to a grant with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran. For other claims, the evidence did not support an increase or earlier effective date.

Claimed conditions

sleep apnea, left shoulder bicipital tendon tear, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, left carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral hearing loss disability, lumbar spondylosis with facet arthropathy and lumbosacral strain, right hip strain with osteoarthritis, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (to include iliotibial band syndrome), chronic right wrist sprain

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

December 15, 2025

Citation

A25108095

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine