The Veteran's appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, left foot eczema (claimed as left foot condition), and right foot eczema (claimed as right foot condition) has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal of the issue of entitlement to an initial rating of 10 percent, but no higher, for allergic rhinitis has been granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeals on these issues during a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals in March 2024.,The evidence established that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's left shoulder disability started in service and has continued since, warranting service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, Left foot eczema (claimed as left foot condition), Right foot eczema (claimed as right foot condition), Left shoulder disability, Allergic rhinitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2026
- Citation
- A26017108
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 A26017108.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 determined that there was a duty to assist error and remands the case for further development. The Veteran contends his allergic rhinitis began during service, but VA medical opinions have found no link between his current condition and service.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to February 5, 2024, for a 10 percent evaluation of allergic rhinitis was denied. The Veteran also appealed for a higher rating for his allergic rhinitis and this was denied as well.,The Veteran's PTSD with TBI claim is remanded due to inadequate medical examinations.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for GERD and allergic rhinitis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD, as there is no documented history of recurrent esophageal stricture causing dysphagia requiring daily medications or dilatation more than once per year. For allergic rhinitis, the Veteran's symptoms were not severe enough to warrant a compensable rating due to lack of polyps and obstruction.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of allergic rhinitis. Service connection is granted for a skin disorder (Pseudofolliculitis barbae) and denied for a chronic cervical spine disorder.
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