The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of their shoulder disability has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran during the pendency of the appeal.
The deciding factor: The Veteran died while the appeal was pending, and per VA regulations, the Board cannot issue a decision on the underlying claim at this time.
- Claimed conditions
- shoulder disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2026
- Citation
- A26026745
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 A26026745.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 appeal of the issues related to eczema and acne, carpal tunnel syndrome, cervical spine disability, shoulder disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, gastritis and GERD with hiatal hernia, and sleep disturbances have been dismissed.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee pain with shin splints is denied. A rating of 10 percent, and no higher, for left leg shin splints is granted.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any claimed conditions and therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for left foot disability, bilateral hand numbness, and shoulder disability due to a lack of VA examinations. The Veteran's service treatment records show he was seen for left shoulder pain in May 2006 and had left foot pain since returning from deployment. His lay statements indicate his hand numbness is related to his back injury. Participation in toxic exposure risk activities (TERA) during service has been conceded, but a VA examination is needed to determine the relationship between TERA and migraine headaches.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for DEA benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was granted effective April 17, 2024, based on his multiple service-connected disabilities. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date is April 17, 2024, which the Veteran has been granted and believes to be the correct date.
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