Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) under aid and attendance or housebound criteria has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.
The deciding factor: The appeal was dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal, resulting in a lack of jurisdiction over the merits of the case.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20003134
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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
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.