The Veteran's appeal concerning the issues of entitlement to service connection for left hand arthritis, 3rd digit and right hand arthritis has been dismissed due to their death.
The deciding factor: The Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal, which is a legal requirement for dismissal under 38 U.S.C. § 7104 and 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302(a).
- Claimed conditions
- left hand arthritis, 3rd digit, right hand arthritis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 20, 2026
- Citation
- A26036624
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 A26036624.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 granted service connection for right hand arthritis but has remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for nocturia due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection for right hand arthritis and left hand arthritis have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for lumbar strain, radiculopathy of the left sciatic nerve, and radiculopathy of the right sciatic nerve have been remanded.
- Dismissed
The appeal of the proposed reduction in PTSD rating from 70% to 50%, and for service connection claims related to various joints and diabetes mellitus type II, has been dismissed due to procedural issues. The Veteran withdrew his appeals.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a right hand disability, as the examination and medical opinion provided by VA were inadequate. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further evaluation.
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