The Board has granted service connection for gout of the left shoulder, bilateral hands and fingers, bilateral elbows, and bilateral feet and toes. The evidence is at least in equipoise that these conditions had their onset during service.
The deciding factor: The January 2021 VA examiner diagnosed gout of the left shoulder, bilateral hands and fingers, bilateral elbows, and bilateral feet and toes with onset during the 1990s, and the Veteran's lay statements supported this finding.
- Claimed conditions
- gout of the left shoulder, gout of the left hand and fingers, gout of the right hand and fingers, gout of the left foot and toes, gout of the right foot and toes, gout of the left elbow, gout of the right elbow
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 22, 2023
- Citation
- 23052500
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 23052500.
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 the appeals for ratings in excess of 10 percent and 30 percent for various gout conditions affecting the right knee, left knee, left ankle, left hand, and left elbow. The claims were denied based on the evidence showing that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet or nearly approximate the criteria for higher ratings.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the case to obtain additional VA examinations addressing the severity of the Veteran's gout in various joints.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for chronic kidney disease and gout of the left elbow, bilateral knees, and bilateral feet as secondary to the Veteran's chronic kidney disease.
- 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.