The Veteran's appeals of the claims for service connection for fracture, left middle finger (now claimed as left-hand injury), right ankle pain and locking, and jaw pain were dismissed due to a claims processing defect. The appeal was incorrectly docketed in the Appeals Modernization Act system.
The deciding factor: The Veteran used an incorrect form when appealing legacy rating decisions issued before February 19, 2019, under the modernized appeals system.
- Claimed conditions
- fracture, left middle finger, right ankle pain and locking, jaw pain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 12, 2023
- Citation
- A23035508
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 A23035508.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection and initial rating for various conditions as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for residuals of an orthognathic surgery with jaw pain is granted. From June 1, 2012 to October 6, 2019, a 20 percent rating for her lower back condition is granted. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy are denied from October 7, 2019.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for hernias and jaw pain are denied due to lack of current disabilities related to the conditions.,The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as alcohol use disorder) is denied as it is not service-connected.
- Partly granted
The Board granted presumptive service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the claims for other conditions due to a duty to assist error.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.