The Veteran's earlier effective date for the 10 percent rating for bilateral eye allergic conjunctivitis and blepharitis is dismissed.,The Veteran's increased rating greater than 40 percent for service-connected musculoligamentous strain, lumbosacral spine with intervertebral disc syndrome is dismissed.,The Veteran's increased rating greater than 20 percent for service-connected cervical strain with degenerative changes without radiculopathy is dismissed.,The Veteran's increased rating greater than 10 percent for service-connected left lumbar radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) is dismissed.,The Veteran's earlier effective date of March 4, 2010 for the grant of service connection for major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder and insomnia is granted.,The Veteran's increased rating of 10 percent for service-connected extensor tendinitis, right long finger, status post ganglion cyst is granted.,Service connection for alopecia areata is granted.
The deciding factor: The Board does not have jurisdiction to consider the merits of these claims as they were already decided and final.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral eye allergic conjunctivitis, musculoligamentous strain, lumbosacral spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, cervical strain with degenerative changes without radiculopathy, left lumbar radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder and insomnia, extensor tendinitis, right long finger, status post ganglion cyst, alopecia areata
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19158012
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 19158012.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for alopecia areata was dismissed because she submitted a request for Higher Level Review (HLR) before filing her Notice of Disagreement, which constitutes an impermissible concurrent election.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for other specified stressor and trauma related disorder, as well as service connection for alopecia areata, were both denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a 100% disability rating for the former condition or establish service connection for the latter.
- Granted
Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, to include as due to exposure to ionizing radiation, asbestos, and lead paint, is denied.,Service connection for alopecia areata, to include as due to exposure to ionizing radiation, asbestos, and lead paint, is denied.,Secondary service connection for fatigue (claimed as fatigue) is granted.,Secondary service connection for cognitive slowing (claimed as memory and concentration difficulties) is granted.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hair loss (alopecia areata) as secondary to service-connected prostate cancer. The Veteran's other claims of service connection for various conditions related to Gulf War exposure were denied.
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