Vetter v. McDonald

NOTE: This disposition is nonprecedential. United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ______________________ ADAM K. VETTER, Claimant-Appellant v. ROBERT A. MCDONALD, SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, Respondent-Appellee ______________________ 2014-7090 ______________________ Appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in No. 12-3070, Chief Judge Bruce E. Kasold. ______________________ Decided: April 14, 2015 ______________________ JEFFREY DANIEL SMYTH, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP, Palo Alto, CA, argued for claimant-appellant. Also represented by JENNIFER SWAN; RONALD LEE SMITH, Washington, DC. LOREN MISHA PREHEIM, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, argued for respondent-appellee. Also represented by JOYCE R. BRANDA, ROBERT E. KIRSCHMAN, JR., CLAUDIA BURKE; Y. KEN LEE, AMANDA 2 VETTER v. MCDONALD BLACKMON, Office of General Counsel, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC. ______________________ Before CHEN, BRYSON, and HUGHES, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM. Adam K. Vetter appeals from the finding of the Unit- ed States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Veterans Court) that the record does not reasonably raise a claim for 1) a total disability rating based on individual unem- ployability (TDIU) under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b), and 2) a disability rating based on the loss of use of his dominant hand under 38 C.F.R. § 4.63, which would further entitle Mr. Vetter to additional special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(k). Although Mr. Vetter attempts to frame the issue on appeal as whether the Veterans Court correctly interpret- ed the law and applied the correct legal standards, in effect Mr. Vetter merely disagrees with the Veterans Court’s application of 38 C.F.R. § 4.16 and 38 C.F.R. § 4.63 to find the record does not reasonably raise a claim under those provisions. We do not have jurisdiction to review the Veterans Court’s application of the law to the facts of Mr. Vetter’s case unless it presents a constitu- tional issue—which has not been alleged here. 38 U.S.C. § 7292(d)(2); Jackson v. Shinseki, 587 F.3d 1106, 1109 (Fed. Cir. 2009); cf. Livingston v. Derwinski, 959 F.2d 224, 225 (Fed. Cir. 1992) (“[T]he mere recitation of a basis for jurisdiction by party or a court[] is not controlling; we must look to the true nature of the action.”). Accordingly, we dismiss Mr. Vetter’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction. DISMISSED COSTS No costs.