A condition affecting nerves in the brainstem that may cause difficulty swallowing, speaking, or controlling facial muscles.
Because the regulation assigns only a 100% rating for bulbar palsy, the central question in your claim is whether the diagnosis itself is established and connected to your military service. Medical records that document a confirmed diagnosis of bulbar palsy are the foundation of any claim. Examination findings recorded by a treating neurologist or other specialist, such as notes on swallowing difficulty, speech impairment, weakness of the tongue or facial muscles, or other signs consistent with bulbar involvement, help establish the presence of the condition. A nexus opinion from a physician linking the diagnosis to a service-related event, injury, or disease is also critical. Statements from you or people who know you describing how your symptoms affect daily activities can support the overall picture, though the primary focus here is confirming the diagnosis rather than measuring its severity against multiple rating tiers.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
