NOTE: This disposition is nonprecedential.

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ______________________

JOHN A. GERACE, Claimant-Appellant

v.

DAVID J. SHULKIN, SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, Respondent-Appellee ______________________

2017-1562 ______________________

Appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in No. 15-491, Judge Coral Wong Pi- etsch. ______________________

JUDGMENT ______________________

JOSHUA SIBBLE, Baker Botts, LLP, New York, NY, ar- gued for claimant-appellant.

RENEE BURBANK, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, Washing- ton, DC, argued for respondent-appellee. Also represent- ed by CHAD A. READLER, ROBERT E. KIRSCHMAN, JR., CLAUDIA BURKE; BRIAN D. GRIFFIN, AMANDA BLACKMON, Office of General Counsel, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC. ______________________

THIS CAUSE having been heard and considered, it is

ORDERED and ADJUDGED:

PER CURIAM (LOURIE, O’MALLEY, and REYNA, Circuit Judges). AFFIRMED. See Fed. Cir. R. 36.

ENTERED BY ORDER OF THE COURT

February 7, 2018 /s/ Peter R. Marksteiner Date Peter R. Marksteiner Clerk of Court