The Veteran's earlier effective date claims for initial grants of service connection for her cervical spine, lumbar spine, right arm paresthesias, right ankle, chronic pigmented papules skin, and right hip disabilities are dismissed.,Her right ankle disability was granted an increased rating but no higher than 10 percent effective March 3, 2017.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not properly appeal the previous denial of her earlier effective date claim for her cervical spine, lumbar spine, right arm paresthesias, right ankle, chronic pigmented skin disability, and right hip disability following a December 2013 statement of the case. She has not submitted any arguments of clear and unmistakable error to reopen the previous denial.,The earliest effective date for her initial grants of service connection for her right ankle, chronic pigmented skin disability, and somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain and generalized anxiety is March 3, 2017, the date she filed a supplemental claim for an increased rating.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine, lumbar spine, right arm paresthesias, right ankle, chronic pigmented papules skin, right hip
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2020
- Citation
- 20080508
Veterans Law Judge
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20080508.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 is granted an effective date of December 10, 2015 for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The decision also grants earlier effective dates for these benefits.
- Denied
The Veteran's service connection claims for left ankle, right ankle, right hand, and left hand conditions are denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for right hip condition is denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for left hip condition is denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for left wrist condition is denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for right wrist condition is denied.
- Dismissed
The appeal for neck pain pinched nerve severe arthritis cervical spine is dismissed as a matter of law. Service connection and increased ratings are granted for major depression, mental disorder anxiety and PTSD, carpal tunnel syndrome (both wrists), and migraine including migraine variants.
- Dismissed
The Veteran requested to withdraw her appeal regarding the earlier effective date for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis affecting various fingers and wrists. The Board dismissed the appeals as per the Veteran's request.
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