Case Explained: STILES v. COLLINS

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Filed: 2026-06-23 The Federal Circuit affirmed the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims’ dismissal of Mark Stiles’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction. The court held that it lacked authority to review the Veterans Court’s determination because the underlying Board order was a remand, not a “decision” granting or denying benefits within the meaning of 38 U.S.C. § 7252(a). Under this statute, the Veterans Court possesses jurisdiction only to review final decisions of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals that resolve the benefit sought by the veteran. The court found that the 2019 Board Decision remanded specific claims for further development without addressing the merits or pendency of the additional vertigo and sleep apnea claims asserted by Stiles; therefore, no cognizable “decision” existed for the Veterans Court to review. Furthermore, the court concluded that even if the Veterans Court had erred in its jurisdictional ruling, the error was harmless because Stiles failed to demonstrate any prejudice. The court reasoned that Stiles’s objective—securing adjudication of the unadjudicated claims by the regional office—could be achieved through established procedures where he pursues resolution directly with the Agency of Original Jurisdiction and subsequently appeals any resulting decision to the Board, without impairing his entitlement to benefits or effective dates. Consequently, the Veterans Court’s dismissal was upheld, leaving Stiles to pursue his claims through the standard administrative process rather than via a direct appellate order from the Federal Circuit. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.