The Veteran's service-connected gout arthritis in his bilateral great toes rendered him eligible for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as of May 30, 2008. The effective date for basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) was also granted as of the same date.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected gout arthritis in his bilateral great toes rendered him unable to secure and maintain employment, qualifying him for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Claimed conditions
- gout arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- August 13, 2019
- Citation
- A19000859
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,890 · Granted: 32% (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 A19000859.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied a compensable rating for gout arthritis, finding that the Veteran's condition was stable and did not cause any functional impairment or exacerbations.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected gout arthritis, hearing loss, tinnitus, and GERD disabilities preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, gout arthritis of shoulders, hip, hands, and knees, and right foot bone growth. The case is remanded to determine if the Veteran qualifies for the Gulf War presumption and to obtain a VA examination.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.
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