The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to her service-connected persistent mood disorder, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and bilateral ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain. The decision is based on a private medical opinion that associates the Veteran's obesity with her service-connected disabilities, which in turn caused her sleep apnea.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected persistent mood disorder, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and bilateral ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain caused her obesity, which was a substantial factor in causing her obstructive sleep apnea.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, persistent mood disorder, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, bilateral ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2026
- Citation
- A26010239
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 A26010239.
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 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or toxic exposure. The Veteran's claims were based on his participation in TERA activities during service.
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