The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses from October 11, 2002, through February 23, 2003 were not reimbursable because the service-connected disability for which he sought reimbursement was not in effect at that time.
The deciding factor: Service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the neck had not been established prior to February 24, 2003.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma of the neck
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 19, 2006
- Citation
- 0601641
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for larynx cancer, to include squamous cell carcinoma of the neck, as there was no evidence of a current disability and no basis on which to find that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the neck is related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, as there was no evidence that a service-connected disability caused or contributed substantially or materially in producing the veteran's death, and the veteran was not in receipt of or entitled to receive compensation at the rate of 100 percent due to service-connected disability for a period of ten or more years immediately preceding his death.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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