The Board dismissed all service connection claims for various knee, leg, shoulder, wrist, and back conditions due to exposure to herbicides because the appellant died during the appeal process.
The deciding factor: The appellant died during the pendency of the appeal, making it impossible for the Board to adjudicate the merits of the case.
- Claimed conditions
- weakening of the right knee, weakening of the left knee, weakening of the right leg, weakening of the left leg, weakening of the right shoulder, weakening of the left shoulder, weakening of the right wrist, weakening of the left wrist, weakening of the joints, weakening of back/spine, stomach problems
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20048165
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 20048165.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for stomach problems due to an inadequate VA examination and the need for a full gastrointestinal diagnostic evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, chronic right knee pain, chronic left knee pain, lumbar strain, migraine headaches, and stomach problems due to incomplete service records and outstanding VA treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 16, 2014, for the award of service connection for functional dyspepsia (also claimed as GERD and stomach problems) was denied.,The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for functional dyspepsia is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for stomach problems is granted. The Board remands the case due to insufficient evidence on the etiology of his gastrointestinal disorders, particularly IBS.
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