The Board denied service connection for TMJD, finding no current diagnosis and that the condition is not related to military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a confirmed current diagnosis of TMJD during the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- TMJD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20053647
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20053647.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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 Board has granted service connection for a brain tumor, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's brain tumor manifested during his active duty service. Service connection was previously denied for seizures and TMJD on the basis of being sequelae of a brain tumor.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for TMJD has been granted. The Board found that the current disability is related to a facial injury sustained in service, specifically being hit with a pugil stick in 1994.,The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and TDIU remains pending as it was remanded by the Board.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's TMJD is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds this rating to be appropriate based on his inter-incisal range of motion.,Prior to January 21, 2021, the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder warrants a 50 percent disability rating due to occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. The Board finds this rating to be appropriate based on his symptoms such as flattened affect, impaired judgment, and difficulty establishing effective work relationships.,From January 21, 2021, the Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder warrants a disability rating in excess of 70 percent due to occupational and social impairment with marked decrease in work efficiency and inability to perform tasks. The Board finds this rating to be appropriate based on his symptoms such as panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood.,The Veteran is granted TDIU prior to January 21, 2021 due to service-connected disabilities precluding him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's TMJD, generalized anxiety disorder with depressive symptoms, lumbar degenerative disc disease with small focal central disc herniation, right wrist sprain, status post right thumb fracture, healed, peripheral neuropathy of the median nerve (left index finger and right thumb), patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee, lateral collateral ligament sprain of the left ankle, lateral collateral ligament sprain of the right ankle, tinnitus, trochanteric pain syndrome including trochanteric bursitis (right hip), hallux valgus of the left foot, and hallux valgus of the right foot have all been granted effective dates prior to June 22, 2018.,The Veteran's recurrent urinary tract infection has not been granted an effective date prior to June 22, 2018.
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