This morning, the Federal Circuit released two nonprecedential opinions and two Rule 36 summary affirmances. One opinion comes in a veterans case appealed from the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and the other comes in a public safety officers’ benefits case appealed from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Here are the introductions to the opinions, along with links to the summary affirmances.
Drake v. Collins (Nonprecedential)
Richard L. Drake appeals from a December 6, 2024 decision of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (“Veterans Court”) affirming a Board of Veterans’ Appeals (“Board”) order that denied service connection for Mr. Drake’s bladder disability. Before the Veterans Court, Mr. Drake challenged the propriety of an examination ordered by the Board, as well as the qualifications of the nurse practitioner who provided a medical opinion regarding service connection and that opinion’s reliability. The Veterans Court rejected Mr. Drake’s arguments and affirmed the Board. We dismiss for lack of jurisdiction.
Weston v. Department of Justice (Nonprecedential)
Ashley Weston, the daughter of deceased firefighter Tyron Weston, appeals from the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (“BJA’s,” or “Bureau’s”) denial of her claim for monetary benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Act of 1976 (“PSOB Act”), 34 U.S.C. § 10281. We affirm.