The Board denied service connection for residuals of cervical spine surgery, a vocal cord disorder, and a throat disorder. The Veteran's claims were not supported by medical evidence showing a causal relationship between the conditions and his military service.,Compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a vocal cord and/or throat disorder resulting from VA cervical spine surgery was also denied due to lack of causation.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support the existence of any current disabilities, including residuals of spinal cord surgery, a vocal cord disorder, or a throat disorder, that were related to service. The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 also failed because there was no evidence showing VA carelessness or negligence.,The July 2019 VA examiner found that the transient right recurrent laryngeal nerve injury resulting from the cervical spine surgery had resolved, and any current throat disorder was related to esophageal compression rather than the spinal surgery.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of cervical spine surgery, vocal cord disorder, throat disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19194562
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,162 · Granted: 21% (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 19194562.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran's throat disorder claim should be remanded for further examination and opinion. The gastroesophageal reflux disease with achalasia claim is granted.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence after a prior denial. The Board finds that VA examinations and medical opinions are necessary to properly determine entitlement to service connection.
- 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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including left shoulder and joint pain, right shoulder joint and bone pain, left knee bone and joint pain, right knee bone and joint pain, depression, gums and tooth pain, and throat pain, to correct duty-to-assist errors that occurred prior to the rating decision on appeal.
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