The Veteran's appeals for various ratings related to his service-connected disabilities have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal, and therefore the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims.
- Claimed conditions
- residual scar, injury to the right forearm with muscle damage to MG VIII and atrophy of the thenar eminence of the right hand, MG IX, right hand atrophy of the thenar eminence MGIV, right hand neuritis of the median and ulnar nerves
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2020
- Citation
- 20069118
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted. The Board found that the Veteran is unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted the Veteran's attorney fees of 20 percent of past-due benefits awarded in a March 2023 rating decision. The appeal was based on increased evaluations for unspecified anxiety disorder and CABG.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinea pedis was reopened based on new and material evidence, but the claim for bilateral fungal foot condition with residual scar was denied.
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