The Board has dismissed all the claims as the Appellant opted into the modernized review system (AMA) and selected the Higher Level Review lane, thus terminating the adjudication of her appeals in the legacy system.
The deciding factor: The Appellant opted into the AMA process by submitting a VA Form 20-0996, which terminated the legacy appeals and required readjudication under the AMA process.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disability, right knee disability, right wrist disability, right total hip replacement, right hip disability with limitation of flexion, right thigh disability, left hip extension disability, left hip flexion disability, left thigh disability, major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20073062
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is dismissed as moot because the earliest effective date was granted during the pendency of this appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal and skin disabilities.
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