The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 8, 2022 for COPD was dismissed due to a prohibited concurrent election.,Service connection for degenerative changes of the spine with mild dextroscoliosis (claimed as spinal arthritis, back) was granted in full and is no longer for appellate review.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for ulcerative colitis was dismissed because there is no current diagnosis or functional impairment due to this condition.
The deciding factor: The effective date prior to November 8, 2022 for COPD was erroneously docketed while the Veteran's HLR request was pending. The Board cannot consider evidence from a concurrent review process.,Service connection for degenerative changes of the spine with mild dextroscoliosis (claimed as spinal arthritis, back) was granted in full and is no longer for appellate review.,There is no current diagnosis or functional impairment due to ulcerative colitis. The Veteran's contention that he has ulcerative colitis is not supported by objective medical evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Degenerative changes of the spine with mild dextroscoliosis (claimed as spinal arthritis, back), Ulcerative colitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26007536
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 A26007536.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his myocardial infarction and COPD to his military service.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for bladder cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher level of SMC was denied as the Board found that he is already in receipt of SMC at the (l) rate based on need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease with congestive heart failure. A second award of SMC at the (l) rate based on need for regular aid and attendance was not warranted.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there is no competent evidence linking any principal or contributory cause of his death to his service.
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