The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for her knee conditions and TDIU have been dismissed as she has withdrawn them. The Board finds that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to her service-connected disabilities from May 10, 2010.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with her education and work history from May 10, 2010.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee instability, left knee instability, bilateral pes planus, degenerative joint disease and lumbar scoliosis, left knee pain, right knee pain, grand mal epilepsy, rhinitis, right lower radiculopathy, left lower radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 12, 2026
- Citation
- 26002010
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 26002010.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Denied
The Veteran's rhinitis and gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia were evaluated, but the Board found that neither condition warranted a higher rating.,For rhinitis, the evidence did not show greater than 50 percent obstruction of both nasal passages or complete obstruction on one side. For gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia, symptoms were described as infrequent and mild.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
- Denied
The Board denied the Appellant's requests for earlier effective dates for his service connection for bilateral pes planus and gynecomastia scar residuals, finding that the earliest possible effective dates are the dates of receipt of the claims.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis on a direct basis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service, including exposure to environmental factors during Operation Desert Storm.
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.