The Board denied service connection for vocal cord disorder, finding that the evidence does not support a current disability and that any pre-existing condition did not worsen during service.
The deciding factor: The November 2018 VA examiner concluded there was no evidence of defective use of the voice at this time and no clinical evidence of vocal cord damage/disability, and opined the left vocal fold cyst found in 2012 was less likely as not etiologically related to any event during service.
- Claimed conditions
- vocal cord disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2019
- Citation
- 19145719
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,020 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19145719.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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 grants service connection for headaches as the evidence supports a direct link to the Veteran's active military service.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal seeking revision or reversal of a rating decision that assigned an effective date of July 29, 2020, for the grant of service connection for soft palate injury with vocal cord disorder on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) is dismissed. Entitlement to an effective date prior to July 29, 2020, for the grant of service connection for soft palate injury with vocal cord disorder is denied.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various orthopedic and respiratory conditions due to concerns about the adequacy of the VA examiners' opinions regarding the etiology of her claimed disorders.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's disabilities, particularly Arnold-Chiari Malformation (ACM) and its secondary effects on other conditions.
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