C.N. and Department of Veterans Affairs, West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System (Board decision, January 7, 2026)

ECAB final decision dismissing appeal. The Board granted the employee’s withdrawal request and dismissed the appeal without a compensation merits ruling. Under 20 C.F.R. § 501.6(d), this order becomes final 30 days after issuance. A party may petition the Board for reconsideration within 30 days of issuance unless this order specifies another period, under 20 C.F.R. § 501.7(a).

Plain-English summary

A VA employee timely appealed an August 20, 2025 OWCP merits decision. She later asked to withdraw the appeal, and the Clerk confirmed the request. The Board granted withdrawal and dismissed the appeal without addressing the underlying claim.

Decision snapshot

• Authority: 20 C.F.R. §§ 501.3, 501.6(d), 501.7(a).
• Outcome: Appeal dismissed at the employee’s request.
• Key point: Withdrawal ended the Board proceeding without a merits ruling.

Full text (ECAB public release)

United States Department of Labor
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

________
)
C.N., Appellant
)
)
and ) Docket No. 25-0907
)
Issued: January 7, 2026
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS,
)
WEST PALM BEACH VA HEALTHCARE
)
SYSTEM, THOMAS H. COREY VA MEDICAL )
CENTER, West Palm Beach, FL, Employer )
__________ )

Appearances: Case Submitted on the Record
Appellant, pro se
Office of Solicitor, for the Director

ORDER DISMISSING APPEAL

Before:
ALEC J. KOROMILAS, Chief Judge
PATRICIA H. FITZGERALD, Deputy Chief Judge VALERIE D. EVANS-HARRELL, Alternate Judge

On September 12, 2025, appellant filed a timely appeal from an August 20, 2025 merit decision of the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). The Clerk of the Appellate Boards docketed the appeal as No. 25-0907.

Appellant subsequently requested that the appeal be withdrawn. The Clerk of the Appellate Boards confirmed her request by letter dated December 23, 2025.

The Board, having duly considered this matter, concludes that appellant’s request for the withdrawal of the appeal should be granted. 1 Accordingly,

1
The Board’s decisions and orders are final upon the expiration of 30 days from the date of their issuance.
20 C.F.R. § 501.6(d).
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT appellant’s request for the withdrawal of the appeal is granted. The appeal docketed as No. 25-0907 is dismissed.

Issued: January 7, 2026
Washington, DC

Alec J. Koromilas, Chief Judge
Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

Patricia H. Fitzgerald, Deputy Chief Judge Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

Valerie D. Evans-Harrell, Alternate Judge Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

2