The veteran has additional disability involving damaged vocal cords as a result of VA treatment in August 1993. However, there is no evidence of additional disability involving breathing problems, an enlarged heart, a hole in the chest, or broken sternum wires left inside his chest resulting from that treatment.
The deciding factor: The veteran's damaged vocal cords are attributable to VA treatment in August 1993, but there is no medical evidence linking other claimed disabilities to this treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- damaged vocal cords, breathing problems, enlarged heart, hole in the chest, left ulnar nerve injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- August 30, 2005
- Citation
- 0523848
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 0523848.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error in the March 2025 VA medical opinion, which did not consider the Veteran's theory of entitlement regarding his obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The claim for service connection for breathing problems is denied. The claim for service connection for OSA is remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted service connection for tremors, migraines, facet arthropathy (claimed as back pain), sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and sciatic nerve pain of the right lower extremity. Service connection for breathing problems, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea are denied.,The Veteran's service-connected conditions include tremors, migraines, facet arthropathy (claimed as back pain), sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and sciatic nerve pain of the right lower extremity. Service connection for breathing problems, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea are denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for breathing problems and tinnitus, as well as an effective date prior to January 22, 2023, for the grant of service connection for allergic rhinitis. The Board also remanded the issues of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis.,The appellant's claims are being remanded due to deficiencies in the VA medical opinions provided and the need for additional evidence regarding his tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's enlarged heart is directly related to service or secondary to his hypertension.
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