The Veteran's service connection claims for COPD, sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss are granted. The remaining conditions (headaches, left ankle disorder, left knee disorder, left hip disorder, back disorder, cervical spine disorder, tremors of the right upper extremity, tremors of the left upper extremity, anxiety disorder, and depression) were denied as not related to service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any injuries or diagnoses related to his current conditions. The VA examiner opined that it was less likely than not that his current conditions are due to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Headaches, Left Ankle Disorder, Left Knee Disorder, Left Hip Disorder, Back Disorder, Cervical Spine Disorder, Tremors of the Right Upper Extremity, Tremors of the Left Upper Extremity, Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Memory Loss, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Sleep Apnea, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- April 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26030381
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 A26030381.
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 service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient findings regarding PTSD and depression, requiring a new VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial ratings for anxiety disorder and TBI were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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