A rating higher than 60 percent for gout of the bilateral great toes prior to September 19, 2016 is denied.,A separate 10 percent rating for osteoarthritis of the bilateral great toes is granted.,A 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis and residuals of a fracture of the lateral malleolus of the right ankle (right ankle arthritis) as of July 14, 2017, but no earlier, is granted.,A separate 20 percent rating for gout of the right ankle is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral great toe gout does not more closely approximate totally incapacitating constitutional manifestations associated with active joint involvement.
- Claimed conditions
- gout of the bilateral great toes, osteoarthritis of the bilateral great toes, degenerative arthritis and residuals of a fracture of the lateral malleolus of the right ankle (right ankle arthritis), gout of the right ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- November 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21067548
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 21067548.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a left knee disorder and assigned a 10 percent rating, while denying service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and other gout-related conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral pes planus, subcalcaneal pain, Morton's neuroma with hallux valgus, and osteoarthritis of the bilateral great toes, as well as the claim for TDIU due to the need for an updated examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected foot impairments have caused additional compensable neuropathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected knee, ankle, elbow, and hand disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine their current severity.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The rating for tinnitus was not granted, the rating for bilateral hearing loss was not granted in excess of 40 percent, and the rating for a left knee disability was not granted in excess of 30 percent. Service connection for gout of the left ankle, right ankle, and left toe was also denied.
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