BVA Decisions Research
Look up recent published Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions that are similar to the issue you are researching. Filter by condition, connection theory, and outcome, and, if you want, add a short narrative describing the facts that matter to you. Results can be read and copied along with a citation specific to each case. Covers published decisions issued 2023 or later.
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This is not a personal information grab. Board decisions are public, and this research stays free forever. We ask for a free account for one reason: a login lets us stop automated bots from scraping and overloading the decision index, so it stays fast and free for veterans. An account ties each search to a person, not to endless anonymous bots slowing the site down.
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Bd. Vet. App. No. A25000681 (Jan. 3, 2025) (granting service connection for Sleep Apnea on a secondary theory).Bd. Vet. App. No. A24001583 (Jan. 16, 2024) (granting service connection for Sleep Apnea on a secondary theory).Search for analogous decisions
How Some Veterans Have Used These Decisions
The most important thing to remember is that Board decisions are not binding precedent (see 38 CFR § 20.1303). But when researching an appeal, these cases can be cited by veterans and their representatives as supporting authority alongside primary evidence such as medical records and nexus opinions. The accepted practice is to cite by Board citation number and decision date, with a short parenthetical describing the holding. Each decision above includes a ready-to-use line labeled "Suggested citation."
Open any cited decision and read its full Reasons and Bases section to understand what evidence actually persuaded the Board. If your facts differ materially from a cited decision, acknowledge the difference; never misrepresent facts.
Work with an accredited representative. Whether and how to reference any decision in a claim or appeal is a judgment call about your specific case. That call belongs with an accredited VSO representative, attorney, or claims agent, not this page. Find free accredited help.
Common Questions
What does the match percentage mean?
It is a text-similarity score: how closely the decision's issue statements resemble the text you typed, as measured by a language model running on this site's server. It measures wording similarity only. It is not a prediction about any claim's outcome and does not measure legal strength.
Are these decisions binding on my claim?
No. Board decisions are non-precedential; each case is decided on its own record (see 38 CFR § 20.1303). Adjudicators may still find recent decisions with similar facts persuasive.
How recent are the decisions here?
This page searches published Board decisions issued in 2023 or later, refreshed weekly as the Board publishes new decisions.
Is my search saved?
No. The text you enter is used to rank decisions for this search and is not stored.
Related Tools and Guides
RateMyVSO. Educational aggregate of published Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions. Decisions are catalogued and reported as published; nothing on this page evaluates, predicts, or advises on any specific claim. Not affiliated with the VA. Not legal advice. Find a VSO representative.