The Board has determined that the veteran's service records show a facial injury during active duty, resulting in loosening of teeth and a fracture. The VA examination confirmed temporomandibular joint syndrome as a residual of this injury, which is considered a direct service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the diagnosed temporomandibular joint syndrome was consistent with the veteran's history of service injury.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of facial injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2003
- Citation
- 0305611
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,555 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0305611.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of facial injury, nasal trauma, and allergic rhinitis were granted due to new and relevant evidence. Additionally, the veteran was granted a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 30 percent for residuals of facial injury, to include scarring, is denied as the scar does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA's rating schedule.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a facial injury, arthritis of the back, arthritis of the feet, left great toe condition, and bilateral pes planus. The Veteran's conditions are found to be aggravated by his active duty service.
- Denied
The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a facial injury. The claims for TBI and cervical spine disorder have also been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.
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