The appeal is dismissed due to the appellant's death, and no final decision can be made on the merits of the claims.
The deciding factor: The appellant died during the pendency of the appeal, making it impossible for the Board to make a final determination.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, left shoulder dislocation, loss of use of the left shoulder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 23, 2018
- Citation
- 18128553
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18128553.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to a lack of VA examinations and medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions. The claims for service connection for tinnitus, low back pain, and left shoulder dislocation are pending.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for his shoulder and lumbar spine conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's prescribed topical skin medication, triamcinolone cream, caused irreparable damage to his clothing and the Board granted a clothing allowance for 2020 based on this.
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