The Veteran's residuals of facial reconstruction surgery include partial loss of taste and smell, and loss of sensation of the face. The Board has found that these symptoms most nearly approximate moderate incomplete paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve and a 20 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Codes 8207 and 8407.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms of partial loss of taste and smell, along with loss of sensation of the face, were found to be manifestations of the service-connected neurological disability. These symptoms most nearly approximate moderate incomplete paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve.
- Claimed conditions
- partial loss of taste, partial loss of smell, loss of sensation of the face
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2016
- Citation
- 1602823
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1602823.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Parkinson's disease and related symptoms, were granted effective as of August 10, 2022, based on the PACT Act. The effective date is set to the day after the enactment of the PACT Act.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility were granted with effective dates of August 15, 2019.,Effective March 13, 2020, the Veteran received ratings for various service-connected conditions including stooped postures, diffuse bradykinesia and neuropathy in both lower extremities, mild neurocognitive disorder due to Parkinson's disease, partial loss of smell, speech impairment, sexual dysfunction, right-side buttocks scars, and hypertension.,The effective dates for these ratings are March 13, 2020. The Veteran's service connection claims were previously denied but reopened with new evidence supporting the claims.,Diabetes mellitus was not granted an earlier effective date than August 15, 2019.,Parkinson's disease and related conditions were also not granted an earlier effective date than March 13, 2020.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates as they were untimely filed more than one year after the July 2021 rating decision.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal of all issues related to increased ratings for various disabilities, as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.
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