The Veteran's cystic kidney disease is granted with a 30 percent rating, effective August 9, 2023. The Veteran's left knee disability, left shoulder disability, low back disability, and sleep apnea are denied. Polycythemia is granted with a 30 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support service connection for the left knee, left shoulder, or low back disabilities, as they were not shown to have begun during active service or be related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. Polycythemia is granted as it is secondary to service-connected erectile dysfunction.
- Claimed conditions
- Cystic kidney disease, Left knee disability, Left shoulder disability, Low back disability, Polycythemia, Abdominal basal cell carcinoma (claimed as skin cancer), Benign neoplasm of the thyroid (claimed as thyroid mass), Sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 26, 2026
- Citation
- A26006945
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 A26006945.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability alone does not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to insufficient evidence of record. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
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