The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for gouty arthritis of the right ankle and bilateral first metatarsophalangeal joints were denied as a result of his failure to report for necessary VA examinations.
The deciding factor: The Veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without showing good cause.
- Claimed conditions
- gouty arthritis of the right ankle, bilateral first metatarsophalangeal joints
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 15, 2024
- Citation
- 24012201
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 24012201.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for gouty arthritis of the left index finger, right hand, and right and left elbows, as well as the right wrist, left wrist, and left ankle due to clear and unmistakable error in previous rating decisions. The motion to revise the January 16, 2019 rating decision that denied service connection for gouty arthritis of the right ankle, right knee, left knee, right shoulder, left shoulder, right hip, and left hip was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims due to failure to schedule VA examinations and for further development.
- Denied
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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.