The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected residuals of laryngeal cancer, finding that the current rating of 30 percent is appropriate based on the severity of his symptoms and the absence of recurrence or metastasis.
The deciding factor: The veteran's residuals of laryngeal cancer are currently rated as 30 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 6516 due to hoarseness, intermittent sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and pre-malignant changes on biopsy. The Board found that the current rating adequately reflects his disability.
- Claimed conditions
- laryngeal cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- June 9, 2004
- Citation
- 0414846
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,464 · Granted: 14% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0414846.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II has been granted an increased rating of 40 percent, but no higher, for diabetic peripheral neuropathy affecting the left lower extremity.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II has also been granted an increased rating of 40 percent, but no higher, for diabetic peripheral neuropathy affecting the right lower extremity.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and laryngeal cancer are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for cause of death due to laryngeal cancer is dismissed as moot. The appeal for hypertension secondary to salivary gland injury is denied. Service connection for hypertension is granted based on the PACT Act presumption of herbicide exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's laryngeal cancer and its connection to service, specifically Agent Orange exposure.
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