The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.
The deciding factor: The appellant's death made the claim moot and the Board had no jurisdiction to adjudicate it.
- Claimed conditions
- non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21006596
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 21006596.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for various symptoms, including dementia, vertigo, migraine headaches, and bodily pain. The Veteran's non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma residuals are also being evaluated.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy with foot drop, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma due to in-service herbicide agent exposure. The Court found that the Board did not address the Veteran’s lay contentions regarding herbicide agent exposure and formaldehyde exposure during autopsies.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development and readjudication, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, penile cancer, and pulmonary fibrosis due to the appellant's death.
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