The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of the voice is being remanded due to inadequate examination and potential new evidence.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide a clear opinion regarding whether the Veteran has complete organic aphonia with constant inability to communicate by speech, as required for SMC at level 10 under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1114(k).
- Claimed conditions
- aphonia/dysarthria/aphasia, cerebrovascular accident with transient ischemic attacks and paresis of the right side of the tongue (cranial nerves 9 and 12)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2015
- Citation
- 1504903
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 1504903.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
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