The Board denied an effective date prior to February 7, 2023, for the award of a 50 percent rating for temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) because it was not factually ascertainable that the Veteran's TMD disability increased in severity so as to warrant a 50 percent rating within the year prior to receipt of his February 7, 2023, Fully Developed Claim.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no evidence showing an increase in severity of the Veteran's TMD disability sufficient to warrant a 50 percent rating within one year before he filed his claim on February 7, 2023.
- Claimed conditions
- temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25092338
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 916 · Granted: 40% (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 A25092338.
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: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) based on the interincisal range of motion and dietary restrictions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to September 3, 2021, for the grant of service connection for temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD).
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further examination and evaluation due to inadequate range of motion assessments in previous examinations.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for the residuals of an acquired malocclusion and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) is being remanded due to a need for further development, including a VA examination to determine if her TMD was aggravated by her service-connected cervical spine disability.
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