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. An earlier effective date prior to July 29, 2020, for the grant of service connection for soft palate injury with vocal cord disorder is also denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for CUE was not timely as the decision regarding the effective date of the grant of service connection for soft palate injury with vocal cord disorder was not final at the time the Veteran submitted his CUE claim. Additionally, an earlier effective date prior to July 29, 2020, is not warranted as there is no indication that the Veteran was seeking entitlement to service-connected benefits for his vocal cords or soft palate until July 29, 2020.
- Claimed conditions
- soft palate injury with vocal cord disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2024
- Citation
- A24073229
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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