The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation for his service-connected gout, as there is no current diagnosis of gout or associated symptoms. The Veteran's arthritis of multiple joints and right shoulder osteoarthritis are found to be related to active military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not find any evidence of gout in the Veteran's medical records, despite his reported joint pain. The Board finds that there is no current diagnosis of gout or associated symptoms, thus precluding a higher evaluation for this disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, hypochondriacal neurosis), Meniere's disease, Arthritis of multiple joints, Right shoulder osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 19, 2011
- Citation
- 1130885
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 1130885.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine and right hip disabilities due to a duty to assist error. The effective date for DEA benefits is granted as May 1, 2014.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed all appeals for service connection and increased rating claims due to untimely Notice of Disagreement submissions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings in excess of 30 percent for peripheral vestibular disorders (Meniere's disease) and unspecified somatic symptom and related disorder have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the claims prior to a decision being made.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for his back disability is denied. The effective date remains March 29, 2021, as the earliest date of claim. An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the back disability from March 29, 2021, is also denied.
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