The Veteran's appeals on the ratings for rectal fistula and rectum scar have been dismissed due to his death.
The deciding factor: The appeal was dismissed because the appellant (the Veteran) has died, thus losing jurisdiction of the case.
- Claimed conditions
- rectal fistula, rectum scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2018
- Citation
- 18147855
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 18147855.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Denied
The Veteran's rectal fistula was granted a 10 percent rating from March 30, 2014, and a 30 percent rating from May 10, 2018. The Board denied entitlement to a higher rating for the condition as of September 23, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected rectal fistula has worsened, requiring him to wear two pairs of underwear and a pad for drainage. The Board finds the March 2020 VA examination inadequate as it did not discuss the Veteran’s flare-ups, and the case is remanded for another examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and failure of the Veteran to provide necessary private medical records. The claim will be returned for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation was remanded due to the lack of loss of use in either lower extremity. The effective date for increased rating Crohn's disease remains January 15, 2008.
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