The Board determined that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for xerostomia, a dry mouth disorder. The RO then adjudicated the claim on a de novo basis and concluded that service connection was not warranted due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or exposure to ionizing radiation.
The deciding factor: The VA determined that there was no reasonable possibility that the veteran's xerostomia resulted from his exposure to ionizing radiation in service, based on a medical opinion concluding it was unlikely.
- Claimed conditions
- xerostomia
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2001
- Citation
- 0115991
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0115991.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's xerostomia is not rated compensably, as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's tinnitus remains at its current 10% rating, as no higher rating is available under Diagnostic Code 6260.,Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disability, variously diagnosed as PTSD, claustrophobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and unspecified anxiety disorder.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for neck scar, xerostomia, and heart arrhythmia as secondary to thyroid cancer but remanded the issue of an initial compensable evaluation for thyroid cancer.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, including laryngeal cancer and related conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's disability rating for alopecia scarring from 10 percent to noncompensable (0%) effective January 12, 2022, was improper; restoration of the 10 percent rating is granted.
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