The veteran seeks service connection for herpes simplex virus encephalitis, which he contends is related to his Bell's palsy. The VA examiner could not conclusively rule in or out a diagnosis of herpes simplex virus encephalitis and stated that the medical literature did not provide data estimating the likelihood that a given episode of Bell's palsy is caused by a herpes virus.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner was unable to determine whether the veteran's herpes simplex virus encephalitis is related to service or his service-connected Bell's palsy.
- Claimed conditions
- herpes simplex virus encephalitis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 17, 2008
- Citation
- 0823686
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 0823686.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for herpes simplex virus encephalitis, to include as secondary to Bell's palsy, is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's herpes simplex virus encephalitis.
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