The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a neurological deficit (claimed as facial paralysis) due to a VA surgical procedure in February 2013, finding that the additional disability was not proximately caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.
The deciding factor: The Board found that while there was evidence of an additional disability due to the surgical procedure, it was not proximately caused by any fault on the part of VA and was a reasonably foreseeable outcome of the procedure.
- Claimed conditions
- neurological deficit (claimed as facial paralysis), left transverse cervical neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 16, 2025
- Citation
- 25008020
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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