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.
The deciding factor: The correct facts were not before the adjudicator at the time of the September 2018 and January 2019 rating decisions, as the Veteran's service treatment records contained evidence of gouty arthritis during service. The error in failing to apply the chronic disease provisions manifestly changed the outcome.
- Claimed conditions
- gouty arthritis of the left index finger, gouty arthritis of the right hand, gouty arthritis of the right elbow, gouty arthritis of the left elbow, gouty arthritis of the right wrist, gouty arthritis of the left wrist, gouty arthritis of the right ankle, gouty arthritis of the left ankle
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25023264
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.
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- Granted
The Veteran is granted an effective date of August 10, 2022, for the grant of service connection for sinusitis based on the PACT Act.
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The Board granted service connection for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, finding that the conditions are related to in-service herbicide agent exposure.
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