The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to obtain an etiological opinion regarding the Veteran's left foot gout, which is claimed as left foot pain. The Veteran was treated for left foot pain in January 2016 during service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that VA did not obtain an etiological opinion linking the Veteran's diagnosed gout to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot gout, left foot pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2024
- Citation
- A24071668
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 703 · Granted: 47% (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 A24071668.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for various service connection and rating decisions related to gout affecting multiple joints, left foot gout, right foot gout, elbow pronation and supination gout, elbow limitation of flexion gout, thumb gout, index finger gout, long finger gout, ring and little finger gout, middle finger gout, ankle gout, knee gout, and right thumb gout. The effective dates for these decisions were not earlier than the specified dates.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches, as secondary to tinnitus, is granted. The claims for service connection for hearing loss disability and a disability manifested by shortness of breath other than chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis are denied. The claims for service connection for an intestinal disability (diverticulitis), fatigue, hypertension, neck disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, upper and lower back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right hip disability, left hip disability, right foot pain, left foot pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and an acquired psychiatric disorder are all denied.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal for issues of service connection for left foot pain, skin condition, fibromyalgia, GERD, left knee strain, right knee strain, bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, right ankle condition, and right shoulder condition due to untimely filing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the Veteran's service in the Army Reserve. The AOJ is required to obtain complete service personnel and treatment records, including those from the relevant period of service in the Reserves.
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