The Board denied service connection for right ankle arthritis and gout, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not proximately caused by or aggravated by her service-connected right ankle strain.,The Board also denied service connection for right wrist arthritis and gout, concluding that these conditions were not related to her service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no evidence of chronic right ankle arthritis or gout in the Veteran's service records. They noted that the Veteran was diagnosed with arthritis and gout after discharge from service, which is outside the one-year presumptive period for these conditions.,For her wrist conditions, the VA examiners determined that the Veteran’s current arthritis and gout were not caused by or aggravated by her service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle arthritis, Right ankle gout, Right wrist arthritis, Right wrist gout
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 28, 2018
- Citation
- 18160872
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18160872.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's right ankle disability, which includes arthritis and tendonitis, is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 40 percent for the entire appeal period.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered the case to be remanded due to issues with the rating assigned for right ankle instability and arthritis. The Veteran's symptoms have been found to significantly impact his ability to use his ankle, requiring a brace and cane.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's eligibility for enrollment in VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) due to her not requiring personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months based on an inability to perform one or more activities of daily living, a need for supervision or protection, or a need for regular or extensive instruction without which the ability to function in daily life would be seriously impaired.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for single episode major depressive disorder with anxious distress, somatic symptom disorder, and alcohol use disorder; right ankle arthritis; and bilateral plantar fasciitis and a right foot heel spur. The claims for recurrent hip disabilities, a rating in excess of 20 percent for left knee anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament repair residuals, and TDIU were remanded.
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