The Veteran's claim for service connection for gouty arthritis of the fingers and hands was denied as there is no evidence that it was incurred in or aggravated by his active military service. The Board found that the current diagnosis of gouty arthritis developed after his service-connected disabilities, and thus could not be considered secondary to them.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners determined that the Veteran's gouty arthritis did not develop during service and is unrelated to his service-connected finger disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- gouty arthritis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 12, 2018
- Citation
- 1802943
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 1802943.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, but remanded claims for gouty arthritis and a right knee disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a rating of 100 percent for gouty arthritis since April 8, 2008, and denied an initial rating in excess of 60 percent prior to that date.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand several claims related to the Veteran's gouty arthritis of the knees, including increased ratings and SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance. The reasons include obtaining retrospective medical opinions, addressing deficiencies in previous examinations, and reviewing SSA records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran is requesting a revision of the March 28, 2008 rating decision that assigned a noncompensable rating for gouty arthritis due to clear and unmistakable error. The RO has not addressed this issue yet.
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