The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to clarify the nature and etiology of the Veteran's neurological disorders, including Bell's palsy. The claims for service connection for a right buttock scar, keratosis of the lower abdomen, and cluster headaches; initial rating for major depression with generalized anxiety disorder; effective date for major depression with generalized anxiety disorder; and recognition of E.B. as a helpless child based on permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining 18 years of age are being remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that additional medical opinions are needed to clarify the nature and etiology of the Veteran's neurological disorders, including Bell's palsy.
- Claimed conditions
- Bell's palsy, neuralgia of the inferior mental (sic) branch of the facial (7th cranial) nerve
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18143521
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 18143521.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's right hip pain, muscle spasms, Bell's palsy, trouble breathing, and shaving profile/skin condition are all granted service connection. However, the claims for muscle spasms, Bell's palsy, trouble breathing, and shaving profile/skin condition were denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability, as it is unclear whether his condition is due to his service-connected Bell's palsy and/or right eyelid scar. The VA must obtain an addendum opinion addressing these issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for Bell's palsy and remanded the low back, radiculopathy, elbow, knee, and pes planus claims due to incomplete records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for Bell's palsy, right eye disability, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability due to a failure to address if VA satisfied its duty to assist by obtaining private treatment records from Dr. O's office.
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