The Board found that the veteran's gouty arthritis of the right great toe is not proximately due to or the result of her service-connected hypertension, and thus denied her claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: There was no competent evidence showing a current diagnosis of gout, and the VA examiner did not attribute the veteran's gouty arthritis to the use of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) prescribed for her service-connected hypertension.
- Claimed conditions
- gouty arthritis of the right great toe
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2006
- Citation
- 0603201
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,374 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0603201.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for gouty arthritis of the right great toe and left ankle, as well as initial compensation for kidney stones, have been dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to proceed with these matters.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his inability to perform daily activities such as feeding, dressing, bathing, and attending to personal hygiene needs. The Board has granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected gouty arthritis of the right great toe, left foot, and right knee is remanded due to new evidence not previously considered.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an examination and medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's gouty arthritis of the right great toe is related to her service-connected hypertension.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.