The Board denied service connection for gouty arthritis of the bilateral feet and ankles, as well as degenerative joint disease of the left wrist, both claimed as gouty arthritis. The VA examiners found no evidence linking these conditions to active service.
The deciding factor: VA examiners concluded that there was insufficient evidence to link current diagnoses of gouty arthritis and degenerative joint disease to service.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease of the left wrist, gouty arthritis of the bilateral feet and ankles
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19108396
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,677 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19108396.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent initial disability rating for carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist, but denied an initial compensable rating for the associated left wrist scar and an initial higher rating for degenerative joint disease of the left wrist.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of PTSD, anxiety, depression, a disability manifested by chronic sleep impairment, and TDIU. The hearing loss claim is denied as it does not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hypertrophy, memory disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, lumbar spine disability (chronic low back pain), chronic cervical strain, allergic rhinitis, gastrointestinal disabilities, colon diverticulosis, and degenerative joint diseases of multiple joints. The Board found no evidence to support service connection for any of these conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that a new VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's left wrist disorder and whether it is related to his service-connected right wrist disability.
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