Diagnostic Code 8207 · 38 CFR §4.124a
The facial nerve (7th cranial nerve) controls the muscles of facial expression on each side of the face. Paralysis causes drooping of one side of the face, inability to close the eye, difficulty smiling, drooling, and loss of taste on part of the tongue. Bell's palsy — sudden facial paralysis often triggered by viral infection — is the most common cause. Veterans may develop facial nerve paralysis from Bell's palsy during service, skull fractures, ear surgery, brain tumors, or blast injuries. While many cases of Bell's palsy recover fully, some result in permanent facial weakness or involuntary movements (synkinesis) that remain disabling.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 30% | |
| 20% | |
| 10% |
Neurological examination documenting facial nerve function on both sides, EMG/nerve conduction studies of the facial nerve, Photographs showing facial asymmetry at rest and during facial movements, Brain or temporal bone imaging if structural cause is suspected, Service records documenting the onset of facial paralysis during service, Ophthalmological evaluation if eye closure is affected