The Board has dismissed the appeal because the veteran died during the pendency of the appeal and thus, the Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.
The deciding factor: Because the veteran passed away before a decision could be made on his service connection claim, the Board lacks jurisdiction over the case.
- Claimed conditions
- multiple myeloma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 14, 2004
- Citation
- 0418781
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 0418781.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple myeloma pursuant to the PACT Act, but remanded the claim for a direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple myeloma, finding no evidence that the Veteran's condition was related to his military service.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew all claims on appeal, and the Board dismissed the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and multiple myeloma are remanded to correct a duty to assist error.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.