The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of Bell's Palsy, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to an in-service episode of Bell's Palsy.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners' opinions established that the Veteran does not have Bell's Palsy or its residuals at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury, event, or disease, including an acute episode during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bell's Palsy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21061666
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,038 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 21061666.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran's claims seeking service connection for fatty liver, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Bell's Palsy, GERD, neurobehavioral issues, and throat/esophageal cancer have been dismissed due to procedural errors in filing a concurrent election of review options.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for SMC-AA/HB and service connection for urinary frequency secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain with spinal stenosis is being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, which is the maximum rating available. The Board granted a 100 percent rating for CAD from October 21, 2013 to July 26, 2016. TDIU was granted effective August 31, 2011 and SMC at housebound rate was granted effective October 21, 2013.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's Bell's Palsy, Diabetes Mellitus Type II, Hypertension, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Glaucoma, and Low Back Arthritis were denied as they did not manifest in service or for many years thereafter, and the evidence does not show that his disabilities are related to or may be associated with service.,The Veteran's low back arthritis was denied as there is no indication of an association between the disability claimed by the veteran and his active duty service.
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