The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for Bell's Palsy for the entire period on appeal prior to July 23, 2021.
The deciding factor: The evidence supported a finding of severe incomplete paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve, warranting a 20 percent rating under DC 8207.
- Claimed conditions
- Bell's Palsy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 30, 2024
- Citation
- 24004471
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis is granted a rating of 30 percent, the maximum allowed. The claims for increased ratings and service connection for other conditions are denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Bell's Palsy, bilateral hearing loss, contact dermatitis, migraines, and right lower extremity sciatica due to a lack of new and relevant evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for Bell's Palsy and its secondary conditions: loss of smell, nasal drainage, swallowing problems, Parkinson's disease. The claims for orthostatic hypotension and memory loss were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for Bell's Palsy due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining a VA examination for Scars/Disfigurement.
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