The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, left lower extremity and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, obstructive sleep apnea, psychiatric disorder (to include major depressive disorder with anxious distress), and headaches are all service-connected.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations and treatment records consistently supported the Veteran's diagnoses and linked them to his service-connected left knee instability and arthritis s/p meniscectomy, with obesity serving as an intermediate step in some cases.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus type II, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, obstructive sleep apnea, psychiatric disorder (to include major depressive disorder with anxious distress), headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- January 29, 2026
- Citation
- A26008821
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 A26008821.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
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