The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding his claim for service connection for facial numbness with difficulty swallowing, as secondary to a service-connected cervical discectomy. The evidence does not support a finding that this condition is related to military service or a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not establish a nexus between the Veteran's current facial numbness and his service or any service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Facial numbness, Difficulty swallowing
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 11, 2017
- Citation
- 1738112
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 1738112.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for facial numbness and pulmonary nodules, but denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The decision also denied an increased rating for irritable bowel syndrome and a compensable rating for chronic sinusitis.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a psychiatric disability is dismissed as service connection has been granted throughout the period on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for burn scars to the chest and stomach is denied due to lack of evidence showing VA negligence or fault in causing these scars.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for dental condition/loss of teeth, residual tracheotomy scar, residual airway damage (hoarseness), and difficulty swallowing is remanded for further evaluation.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder on a direct basis was denied. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder secondary to his service-connected disability and for difficulty swallowing, both of which are related to his laryngeal condition.,Service connection will be considered for the Veteran's psychiatric disorder if it is determined that he had a pre-existing psychiatric disorder prior to entering military service. The Board found clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder did not exist before service entry, thus rebutting the presumption of soundness.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected gastroesophageal disorder (GERD) resulted in the need for a feeding tube and multiple hospitalizations, necessitating his confinement to the home.,During the period between April 19, 2016, and May 14, 2018, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him housebound.
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