BVA decisions by condition
Gout: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a gout issue in 2,985 decisions. It granted the gout issue in 12.3% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 31.4%, and remanded it in 55.6%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 28.2% were granted.
Decisions
2,985
2017–2026
Granted
12.3%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
28.2%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
55.6%
Denied: 31.4%
Gout outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 211 | 10.0% | 30.3% | 52.6% | 7.1% |
| 2018 | 345 | 9.9% | 35.7% | 50.4% | 4.1% |
| 2019 | 400 | 9.5% | 36.3% | 52.8% | 1.5% |
| 2020 | 409 | 9.0% | 37.7% | 51.3% | 2.0% |
| 2021 | 395 | 11.4% | 35.9% | 51.1% | 1.5% |
| 2022 | 390 | 9.2% | 23.3% | 66.2% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 463 | 15.3% | 30.0% | 53.1% | 1.5% |
| 2024 | 406 | 15.3% | 26.8% | 55.9% | 2.0% |
| 2025 | 364 | 22.5% | 28.6% | 48.1% | 0.8% |
| 2026 | 194 | 20.1% | 24.2% | 50.5% | 5.2% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied gout decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the gout issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 441 | 54.4% | 22.3% | +32.1 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 356 | 51.8% | 23.4% | +28.4 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 140 | 53.2% | 26.6% | +26.6 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 647 | 40.6% | 25.4% | +15.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 871 | 37.9% | 23.2% | +14.7 pts |
| Combat service | 153 | 31.0% | 28.1% | +2.9 pts |
| Lay statement | 2,380 | 26.8% | 35.8% | −9.0 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 67.7% of the decisions that granted gout.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 35.9% of grants and 12.0% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often gout was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 2,108 | 26.9% | 33.0% | −6.1 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 1,524 | 25.1% | 32.4% | −7.2 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied gout
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established50
- Continuity of symptomatology since service21
- Caused by the service-connected disability20
- Service connection established8
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability4
- New and material evidence submitted3
- Secondary service connection criteria met3
- Criteria for service connection met3
Most common reasons in denials
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis134
- Service records negative or silent107
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim100
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service85
- No current diagnosis69
- No continuity of symptomatology39
- Current diagnosis established31
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability16
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent gout decisions
Granted
In-service onset of gout documented.; VA examiner provided positive nexus opinion.; Gout may affect multiple joints, supporting service connection for right foot.
Confirmed diagnosis of gout in service; Reasonably related to in-service diagnosis; Competent and credible testimony of in-service onset
Proposed reduction notice was insufficient; AOJ failed to comply with 38 C.F.R. § 3.105(e); Erroneous reduction vacated, prior rating restored
Denied
No current diagnosis of gout; No complaints or treatment for gout during service; VA examiner opined less likely related to toxic exposure
No evidence of gout during service; Earliest diagnosis over 10 years post-service; In-service toe injury inconsistent with gout onset
Gout diagnosed in bilateral great toes.; Current rating under DC 5017.; Evidence persuasively weighs against rating higher than 10%.
Rules that apply to gout claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your gout case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a gout issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.