Pharynx injuries

To support a 50% rating, your records need to show one of the three sets of findings the regulation describes. For a stricture or obstruction, imaging studies, endoscopy reports, or clinical exam notes that document narrowing or blockage of the pharynx or nasopharynx are directly relevant. For absence of the soft palate, operative reports, pathology records, or exam findings that confirm the palate was lost due to trauma, a chemical burn, or a granulomatous disease would reflect that criterion. For soft palate paralysis, clinical findings documenting both swallowing difficulty with nasal regurgitation and measurable speech impairment are needed; speech pathology evaluations, swallowing studies, and notes from treating physicians can show both elements together. Statements from you or people who know you describing how these symptoms affect eating, drinking, and communication in daily life can also help connect the clinical findings to the severity the regulation describes.