The appeal for an earlier effective date and a rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected anxiety disorder, depression, and chronic sleep impairment is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her appeal during the Board hearing.
The deciding factor: The Veteran expressed her desire to withdraw her appeal seeking entitlement to an earlier effective date and an increased rating for service-connected anxiety disorder, depression, and chronic sleep impairment during the August 2025 Board hearing.
- Claimed conditions
- Dupuytren's contracture, Left leg nerve condition, Right leg nerve condition, Scar post finger surgery, left hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25108771
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 835 · Granted: 22% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
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 A25108771.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 Board has granted service connection for Dupuytren's contracture and degenerative arthritis of the right hand, but remanded the issue of TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Veteran's limitation of index finger due to right hand Dupuytren's contracture has been rated at 10 percent since the beginning of the appeal period. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted as the condition does not meet criteria for more severe stages or other diagnostic codes.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for left hand surgery (Dupuytren's contracture) due to insufficient evidence and procedural errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions due to inadequate development and lack of proper nexus opinions. The Veteran was exposed to toxic substances during his military service, including TCE, benzene, butadiene, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, gasoline, jet propellant, cadmium, fuels, cleaning solvents, degreasing agents, paint stripper, fumes, and exhaust.
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.