Case: 23-2223 Document: 55 Page: 1 Filed: 05/07/2025

NOTE: This disposition is nonprecedential.

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ______________________ HOWARD C. MODLIN, JR., Claimant-Appellant v. DOUGLAS A. COLLINS, SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, Respondent-Appellee ______________________ 2023-2223 ______________________ Appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in No. 21-6602, Judge Joseph L. Falvey, Jr. ______________________ JUDGMENT ______________________ KENNETH DOJAQUEZ, Carpenter Chartered, Topeka, KS, argued for claimant-appellant.

ROBERT R. KIEPURA, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, Wash- ington, DC, argued for respondent-appellee. Also repre- sented by PATRICIA M. MCCARTHY, LOREN MISHA PREHEIM, BRETT SHUMATE; TYRONE COLLIER, Y. KEN LEE, Office of Case: 23-2223 Document: 55 Page: 2 Filed: 05/07/2025

General Counsel, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC. ______________________ THIS CAUSE having been heard and considered, it is ORDERED and ADJUDGED: PER CURIAM (MOORE, Chief Judge, CLEVENGER and CHEN, Circuit Judges).

AFFIRMED. See Fed. Cir. R. 36.

ENTERED BY ORDER OF THE COURT

May 7, 2025 Date