The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral mandibular sagittal osteotomy, anosmia, ageusia, sinus problems, nasal allergies, and dysfunction of salivary and lacrimal glands (claimed as Sjögren’s syndrome), finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his in-service jaw surgery.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions were not related to his in-service bilateral mandibular sagittal osteotomy, and found that any current anosmia, ageusia, sinus problems, nasal allergies, and dysfunction of salivary and lacrimal glands (claimed as Sjögren’s syndrome) did not have a nexus with service.
- Claimed conditions
- status post bilateral mandibular sagittal osteotomy, anosmia, ageusia, sinus problems, nasal allergies, dysfunction of salivary and lacrimal glands (claimed as Sjögren’s syndrome)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20080133
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a chronic undiagnosed illness manifested by bilateral leg pain, bilateral hand tremors, sinus problems, shortness of breath and recurrent transient ear noise due to Gulf War service. Service connection was denied for CFS.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew his appeal for all service connection and initial rating issues, thus the Board has no jurisdiction to review these appeals.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an addendum medical opinion that fully considers the combined effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including any side effects from medications.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection and initial ratings, as well as remanded several other issues for further development.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.