The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of cervical strain, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to obesity resulting from his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's obesity was caused by his service-connected disabilities, specifically his left knee osteoarthritis with status post meniscectomy, and that this obesity resulted in his sleep apnea. The Board concluded that the nexus requirement between service-connected disability and resulting obesity, and the Veteran's sleep apnea has been demonstrated.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical strain, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26007607
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 A26007607.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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 claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year after service and concluding that the current disability is not related to his in-service deviated septum.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for sleep apnea and an increased disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II.
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