The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for Bell's palsy and chronic epididymitis, as well as his claim of service connection for PDD/anxiety due to untimely filing of the VA Form 10182.
The deciding factor: The appeal was dismissed because the notice of disagreement was received more than one year from the date of mailing of the AOJ decision.
- Claimed conditions
- Bell's palsy, chronic epididymitis
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2026
- Citation
- A26008522
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26008522.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's right hip pain, muscle spasms, Bell's palsy, trouble breathing, and shaving profile/skin condition are all granted service connection. However, the claims for muscle spasms, Bell's palsy, trouble breathing, and shaving profile/skin condition were denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability, as it is unclear whether his condition is due to his service-connected Bell's palsy and/or right eyelid scar. The VA must obtain an addendum opinion addressing these issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic testicular pain and a higher rating for chronic epididymitis due to the AOJ's failure to develop these issues properly. The Veteran is seeking service connection for chronic testicular pain that he attributes to his service-connected chronic epididymitis.
- Granted
The Veteran's chronic epididymitis is found to have begun during active service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.