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Granted

The Veteran's initial rating of 100% for service-connected squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the left head and neck is granted from April 1, 2002, to January 31, 2004. The appeal is remanded for determining effective dates earlier than April 9, 2008, and May 4, 2017, for separate initial ratings of a tender scar and disfiguring nose scar, respectively.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's SCC of the left head and neck was rated at 100% from April 1, 2002, to January 31, 2004, due to completion of treatment for his cancer and subsequent diagnosis of a local recurrence or metastasis.

Claimed conditions
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the left head and neck
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
100%
Decision date
February 27, 2019
Citation
19113710

Veterans Law Judge

THOMAS H. O'SHAY

Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)

Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.

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 19113710.

What this means for you

A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.

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