The Veteran's claim for initial ratings for chronic hoarseness and xerostomia (dry mouth) and difficulty swallowing as residuals of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx is granted. The rating assigned for chronic hoarseness is 10 percent, while the rating assigned for xerostomia and difficulty swallowing is also 30 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms were found to be analogous to known clinical entities (chronic laryngitis with inflammation of cords or mucous membrane for hoarseness; moderate stricture of the esophagus for xerostomia and difficulty swallowing).
- Claimed conditions
- chronic hoarseness, xerostomia (dry mouth), difficulty swallowing
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 16, 2018
- Citation
- 18118714
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18118714.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for hypothyroidism and earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for difficulty swallowing and special monthly compensation, but dismissed the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for a stroke, difficulty swallowing, vision disability, bilateral foot drop, memory loss, mental confusion, severe headaches, dizziness, slurred speech, and non-toxic thyroid enlargement as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, onychomycosis, xerosis, and difficulty swallowing to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and remanded several issues related to interstitial lung disease, psychiatric disability, fatigue, vertigo, muscle disability, Raynaud's phenomenon, gastrointestinal disability, difficulty swallowing, headache, skin disability, blurred vision, upper respiratory symptoms, and vertigo as secondary conditions.
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