The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Bell's palsy and trigeminal neuralgia, finding that there was no current disability of Bell's palsy or chronic residuals related to it. For trigeminal neuralgia, the Board found insufficient evidence linking the condition to burn pit exposure during active duty.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of Bell's palsy and that her trigeminal neuralgia was less likely than not caused by burn pit exposure. The opinion considered multiple sources of TERA exposure, including other particulate matter, and found no evidence linking trigeminal neuralgia to burn pit exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Bell's palsy, trigeminal neuralgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 20, 2026
- Citation
- A26015790
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 A26015790.
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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.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for skull injury/traumatic brain injury and trigeminal neuralgia, finding that there is no current disability related to active service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of the aid and attendance of another person, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance.
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