The Board found that there was no evidence of gout of the left great toe during active service or a period of training, and the VA examiner opined it was less likely than not related to service. As such, the claim for service connection for gout of the left great toe is denied.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury resulting in gout of the left great toe and the VA examiner's opinion supported this finding.
- Claimed conditions
- gout of the left great toe
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 22, 2018
- Citation
- 1811541
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 1811541.
What this means for you
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The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for a right knee disability and service connection for gout of the left great toe. The Veteran's current right knee disability is related to his in-service injury, but the VA examiner's opinion was inadequate due to an incorrect assumption about treatment during service. For gout of the left great toe, the Board found that there is insufficient evidence to determine if it was caused by or aggravated by the service-connected bunion.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for gout of the left great toe, a left ear hearing loss disability, and residuals of an infection of the right foot. Service connection was granted for hypertension.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The reduction in rating of coronary artery disease was not proper as there was no actual improvement in the disability.
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