The Veteran's representative withdrew all claims on appeal, including the request for a hearing and the appeals regarding his left ankle and right ankle conditions. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s representative requested to withdraw all claims on appeal in May 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- left ankle degenerative joint disease (DJD), right ankle post-operative DJD
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19120907
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,196 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19120907.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 Board denied increased ratings for left hip arthritis with limitation of adduction/abduction/rotation, flexion, and extension prior to December 17, 2020, as well as a compensable rating for left ankle degenerative joint disease. The appeal also remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral pes planus.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbar spondylolisthesis and bilateral ankle dermatitis, restored the ratings for left knee limitation of extension, left ankle degenerative joint disease (DJD), and right ankle DJD, and denied service connection for sinusitis, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a right 5th finger scar, increased ratings for left knee flexion and extension, and rhinitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) because it needs more evidence to decide if OSA is related to the veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected left knee and left ankle disabilities, including a request for increased ratings and whether new evidence supports reopening a right ankle fracture claim. The VA will conduct examinations to assess current disability levels and provide an SOC on the reopened issue.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.