The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 100 percent for right tonsil squamous cell carcinoma is denied. The Board also found that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation based on housebound criteria is remanded due to the need to adjudicate additional service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The claims are inextricably intertwined and require adjudication of secondary service connection issues before a decision can be made regarding the earlier effective date for SMC.
- Claimed conditions
- right tonsil squamous cell carcinoma, scars, dental disorder, shoulder condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 2, 2021
- Citation
- A21017714
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 A21017714.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a shoulder condition, bilateral knee condition, and right hip condition. The Veteran's claims were based on current diagnoses of these conditions but the evidence did not support an in-service injury or disease.,The Board also noted that there was no nexus between the current disabilities and service due to lack of in-service complaints or injuries.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error and obtain an examination for the Veteran's dental disorder claim.
- Granted
The Board has granted an effective date of April 14, 1972 for the award of service connection for scars and denied a compensable disability rating.
- Partly granted
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of a dental disorder during the July 2024 hearing.,A new claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss is warranted due to new evidence received since the prior denial.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.