The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including depression and anxious distress, was granted. Claims for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea were denied. Other claims related to various conditions were remanded for further review.

The deciding factor: The decision was based on the evidence available at the time of the July 8, 2022 rating decision, including medical records and VA examinations.

Claimed conditions

psychiatric disorder, depression disorder and anxious distress, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, hypertension, tinnitus, gout [inflammatory arthritis] - left hand, back disorder (lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis, gout), left hip disorder, right hip disorder, gout [inflammatory arthritis] - left knee, left knee degenerative arthritis (bilateral knee condition), gout [inflammatory arthritis] - right knee joint, right knee degenerative arthritis (bilateral knee condition), gout [inflammatory arthritis] - left ankle, gout [inflammatory arthritis] - right ankle joint, gout [inflammatory arthritis] - left foot, gout [inflammatory arthritis] - right foot

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

January 3, 2025

Citation

A25000446

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine