The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable initial rating for loss of sense of smell and taste, as well as a 10 percent rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show complete loss of sense of smell or taste during the review period, which are required for a compensable rating under the relevant diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Loss of sense of smell (hyposmia), Loss of sense of taste (hypogeusia), Residuals of squamous cell carcinoma of left tonsil, to include lack of saliva, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing through nose
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2025
- Citation
- A25024170
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for hypothyroidism and earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for difficulty swallowing and special monthly compensation, but dismissed the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a stroke, difficulty swallowing, vision disability, bilateral foot drop, memory loss, mental confusion, severe headaches, dizziness, slurred speech, and non-toxic thyroid enlargement as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and remanded several issues related to interstitial lung disease, psychiatric disability, fatigue, vertigo, muscle disability, Raynaud's phenomenon, gastrointestinal disability, difficulty swallowing, headache, skin disability, blurred vision, upper respiratory symptoms, and vertigo as secondary conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted effective dates of June 17, 2016, for service connection of tremors, difficulty swallowing, stooped posture, TD, and a mental disorder.
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