The VA rates Bell's palsy under diagnostic code 8207, paralysis of the seventh (facial) cranial nerve, at 10%, 20%, or 30%. A 10% rating covers moderate incomplete paralysis, 20% covers severe incomplete paralysis, and 30% is the maximum for complete paralysis of the facial nerve on one side. In 2026, those ratings pay $180.42, $356.66, and $552.47 per month respectively for a veteran with no dependents. Residuals like incomplete eye closure, corneal damage, and loss of taste can be rated separately under their own diagnostic codes, which is where most veterans leave compensation on the table.
Bell's palsy is a sudden, usually one-sided weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles caused by inflammation or compression of cranial nerve VII. It is not related to cerebral palsy, and it is not a stroke, though the early symptoms overlap enough that emergency evaluation is standard. Most cases improve substantially within three to six months. The VA rating question turns on what is left after that recovery window, not on how bad the initial episode was.
How the VA Rates Bell's Palsy
Bell's palsy is evaluated under 38 CFR 4.124a, the schedule of ratings for neurological conditions and convulsive disorders. Three diagnostic codes apply to the seventh cranial nerve, and which one the rater uses changes your ceiling.
| Diagnostic Code | Condition Type | Rating Range | Maximum |
|---|
| DC 8207 | Paralysis of the seventh (facial) cranial nerve | 10% to 30% | 30% |
| DC 8307 | Neuritis of the seventh cranial nerve | 10% to 20% | 20% |
| DC 8407 | Neuralgia of the seventh cranial nerve | 10% | 10% |
DC 8207 is the code most Bell's palsy claims are rated under, because Bell's palsy produces motor weakness rather than pure nerve pain.
DC 8207 Rating Criteria
| Rating | Severity | What It Looks Like |
|---|
| 30% | Complete paralysis | No voluntary movement on the affected side. Cannot raise the eyebrow, close the eye, or move the corner of the mouth. Total loss of innervation of the facial muscles. |
| 20% | Incomplete, severe | Substantial loss of movement. Marked facial droop, significant difficulty closing the eye or holding food and liquid in the mouth, obvious asymmetry at rest. |
| 10% | Incomplete, moderate | Noticeable weakness with some function preserved. Mild droop, slower or weaker movement on one side, asymmetric smile, some eye closure difficulty. |
| 0% | Diagnosis with no compensable residuals | Service-connected but recovered. Assigned under 38 CFR 4.31 when the criteria for 10% are not met. |
The regulation attaches one note to DC 8207: the evaluation is "dependent upon relative loss of innervation of facial muscles." That means the rater compares the affected side to the unaffected side and scores function, not pain and not appearance. A C&P examiner documenting each branch of the nerve (forehead, eye closure, cheek, mouth) gives you a far better record than an exam that just writes "facial droop present."
There is no 0% level written into DC 8207, but the VA can and often does assign a noncompensable 0% under 38 CFR 4.31 when a service-connected condition is documented and the symptoms have resolved. A 0% rating still matters. It establishes service connection, protects the effective date, and gives you a base to file an increase against if the condition flares or residuals develop later.
Neuritis and Neuralgia Caps
If the VA rates your claim under DC 8307 (neuritis) or DC 8407 (neuralgia) instead of DC 8207, your ceiling drops:
- 38 CFR 4.123 caps neuritis at the level for severe incomplete paralysis, which is 20% for the facial nerve. If the neuritis is not accompanied by organic changes such as muscle atrophy, loss of reflexes, or sensory disturbance, the cap drops further to moderate incomplete paralysis, or 10%.
- 38 CFR 4.124 caps neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis, which is 10% for the facial nerve. The only exception in the regulation is trifacial neuralgia (tic douloureux), which involves the fifth cranial nerve, not the seventh, and can be rated up to complete paralysis.
If you have real motor weakness and the rating decision put you under 8407, that is a coding error worth challenging. The paralysis code, not the neuralgia code, matches the disability picture.
Bilateral Bell's Palsy
Bilateral facial nerve involvement is uncommon but does happen, often tied to Lyme disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, or sarcoidosis. The rating schedule states that ratings for the cranial nerves are for unilateral involvement, and when the involvement is bilateral, the ratings are combined but without the bilateral factor. Two 20% facial nerve ratings combine to 36%, which rounds to 40%, and you do not get the extra 10% bilateral factor that applies to paired extremities.
2026 VA Disability Pay for Bell's Palsy
The 2026 rates reflect the 2.8% COLA that took effect December 1, 2025, and first appeared in the payment veterans received in January 2026.
| Rating | 2026 Monthly Payment (Veteran Alone) | 2026 Annual |
|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $6,629.64 |
Dependent add-ons only start at a combined rating of 30% or higher. At 30% with a spouse, the 2026 rate is $617.47 per month. At 30% with a spouse and one child, it is $669.47.
If Bell's palsy is one of several service-connected conditions, it does not simply add to your total. The VA uses combined ratings math, where each new condition applies to the remaining non-disabled percentage, then the total is rounded to the nearest 10%.
Residuals: Where Most Veterans Are Underrated
The single biggest mistake in a Bell's palsy claim is filing for the facial weakness alone. Roughly a quarter to a third of people with Bell's palsy keep permanent residuals, and several of those are compensable under their own diagnostic codes outside the neurological schedule.
| Residual | Diagnostic Code | Rating |
|---|
| Lagophthalmos (incomplete eyelid closure), one eye | DC 6022 | 10% |
| Lagophthalmos, both eyes | DC 6022 | 20% |
| Keratopathy or corneal damage from exposure | DC 6001 | General rating formula for diseases of the eye, based on visual impairment or incapacitating episodes |
| Chronic conjunctivitis, active | DC 6018 | 10% minimum while active |
| Complete loss of sense of taste | DC 6276 | 10% |
| Complete loss of sense of smell | DC 6275 | 10% |
| Facial disfigurement | DC 7800 | Rated on the eight characteristics of disfigurement |
| Depression or anxiety secondary to facial disfigurement | DC 9434 / 9400 | 0% to 100% under the general rating formula for mental disorders |
A few specifics worth knowing:
Lagophthalmos and corneal exposure. When the seventh nerve cannot close the eyelid, the cornea dries out. That produces exposure keratopathy, chronic irritation, mucus that blurs vision, and in bad cases corneal ulceration. DC 6022 pays 10% for one eye and 20% for both. Under the general rating formula for diseases of the eye, incapacitating episodes requiring treatment visits over the past 12 months can support 10% for one to two visits, 20% for three to four, 40% for five to six, and 60% for seven or more. Keep your ophthalmology visit records. They are the evidence.
Taste disturbance. The chorda tympani branch of the facial nerve carries taste from the front two-thirds of the tongue, so altered or lost taste is a genuine Bell's palsy residual. DC 6276 only pays for complete loss of taste, and only when there is an anatomical or pathological basis documented. Partial loss or distorted taste does not meet the code, though it should still be recorded because it supports the severity finding under DC 8207.
Synkinesis. As the nerve regrows, fibers can rewire to the wrong muscles. The result is involuntary movement: the eye narrows when you smile, or the eye waters when you eat (crocodile tears). There is no dedicated diagnostic code for synkinesis. It gets captured in the DC 8207 evaluation as evidence of abnormal innervation, and it is worth describing in detail because it argues against "moderate" and toward "severe."
Pyramiding. Under 38 CFR 4.14, the VA cannot pay twice for the same symptom. Separate ratings for residuals are allowed when the symptoms are distinct, not when they are the same impairment renamed. An eye that will not close is a separate manifestation from a mouth that droops, so a DC 6022 rating alongside DC 8207 is generally proper. Rating both "facial nerve paralysis" and "facial muscle weakness" separately is not.
Getting Service Connected for Bell's Palsy
You need the same three elements as any VA claim: a current diagnosis, an in-service event or illness, and a medical nexus linking the two.
Direct Service Connection
The strongest direct claims have Bell's palsy documented in the service treatment records, either during active duty or within a period where symptoms clearly began in service. Pull your STRs and look for sick call visits describing facial droop, eye irritation, inability to close the eye, drooling, or "ruled out stroke."
Secondary Service Connection
Bell's palsy is frequently claimed as secondary to another service-connected condition. Common pathways where a nexus opinion is realistic:
- Diabetes mellitus type 2. Diabetics have a meaningfully higher incidence of facial nerve palsy, and diabetes is one of the most common service-connected conditions among veterans.
- Traumatic brain injury or skull/facial fracture. Temporal bone fractures and facial trauma damage the nerve directly along its course.
- Chronic ear disease, mastoiditis, or otitis media. The facial nerve runs through the temporal bone next to the middle ear.
- Lyme disease. A classic cause of facial palsy, including bilateral cases.
- Herpes zoster oticus (Ramsay Hunt syndrome). A shingles reactivation involving the facial nerve, with the same rating codes but usually worse outcomes.
- Sarcoidosis and Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Aggravation claims work too. If you had Bell's palsy before service or before a service-connected condition developed, and the residuals got permanently worse, the VA can compensate for the increase in severity.
Evidence That Moves the Needle
- A completed Cranial Nerve Conditions DBQ. You can ask a treating neurologist or ENT to fill one out and submit it with the claim. It puts the evidence in the format the rater is trained to read.
- Photographs over time. Facial asymmetry is visual. Dated photos at rest, smiling, with eyes closed, and with eyebrows raised are legitimate lay evidence.
- House-Brackmann grades. Clinicians grade facial nerve function on a I to VI scale. Grade VI is total paralysis. Having those grades in the record maps cleanly onto the moderate, severe, and complete language in DC 8207.
- Ophthalmology notes. Slit lamp findings, corneal staining, punctal plugs, taping the eye shut at night, or eyelid weight surgery all document the eye residual.
- Buddy statements. Statements from a spouse or coworker describing slurred speech, food falling out of the mouth, or an eye that stays open during sleep fill gaps the medical record misses.
How to File
- File an intent to file (VA Form 21-0966) first if you are not ready to submit everything. It locks in your effective date for up to a year.
- Submit VA Form 21-526EZ online at va.gov, by mail to the Evidence Intake Center in Janesville WI, or in person at a regional office.
- Claim the residuals by name. List "Bell's palsy, right side" plus "incomplete eyelid closure of the right eye secondary to Bell's palsy" plus any taste loss. Claiming the residuals separately is what triggers the separate ratings.
- Attend the C&P exam. Do not minimize. Describe your worst days, not your best ones, and mention every functional problem: eating, drinking, speaking, sleeping with an open eye, driving with a blurred eye.
- Track the decision on va.gov and read the rating narrative when it arrives. The narrative tells you exactly which findings the rater relied on, which is what you need if you file a supplemental claim or appeal.
Temporary Cases, Staged Ratings, and Reductions
Because most Bell's palsy resolves, the VA often assigns a staged rating: a higher percentage for the acute period and a lower one, sometimes 0%, once the record shows recovery. That is legally proper when the evidence supports it. What is not proper is a reduction based on a single exam that contradicts a longer treatment record.
If the VA proposes a reduction, you get written notice, 60 days to submit evidence, and the right to request a predetermination hearing within 30 days. A rating in effect for five years or more cannot be reduced unless the record as a whole shows sustained improvement under 38 CFR 3.344. Ratings in effect for 20 years or more are protected from reduction entirely, short of fraud.
What Could Change in 2026
The VA published a proposed rule on November 12, 2024 to update the neurological conditions and convulsive disorders portion of the rating schedule, including relocating the schedule of ratings from 38 CFR 4.124a to 4.124. The comment period closed January 13, 2025. As of now the rule is not final, so the criteria in this guide are the criteria in force. If a final rule takes effect, existing ratings are not automatically reduced. VA policy on rating schedule updates is that veterans already rated under the old criteria keep the more favorable evaluation unless their condition actually worsens and they file for an increase.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum VA rating for Bell's palsy?
30% under diagnostic code 8207, for complete paralysis of the facial nerve on one side. That is the ceiling for the nerve itself. Your total compensation can go higher when residuals like lagophthalmos, corneal damage, loss of taste, or secondary depression are rated separately and combined.
Can I get VA disability if my Bell's palsy went away?
Yes, but usually at 0%. If the condition was incurred in or caused by service and is diagnosed in the record, the VA can grant service connection at a noncompensable rating under 38 CFR 4.31. That preserves your effective date and lets you file for an increase if residuals appear or the condition recurs.
How much does a 10% VA rating pay in 2026?
$180.42 per month for a veteran with no dependents, based on the 2.8% COLA effective December 1, 2025. Dependent additions do not apply until your combined rating reaches 30%.
Is Bell's palsy a presumptive condition for any veteran group?
No. Bell's palsy is not on any of the VA presumptive lists, including the PACT Act burn pit and Agent Orange lists. It must be established through direct, secondary, or aggravation service connection with a nexus opinion.
Can Bell's palsy be rated for facial disfigurement too?
Sometimes. DC 7800 rates disfigurement of the head, face, or neck using eight listed characteristics, and it is more often applied to scars than to muscle droop. Where facial paralysis has produced visible asymmetry, drooping, or tissue loss that meets those characteristics, a separate evaluation is possible. Raise it explicitly at the C&P exam and provide photographs.
Does the VA rate Bell's palsy differently from Ramsay Hunt syndrome?
No, the same codes apply. Ramsay Hunt syndrome is facial nerve palsy caused by shingles reactivation, rated under DC 8207 like any other seventh nerve paralysis. It tends to leave worse residuals and more often involves hearing loss and vertigo, which are rated separately under the auditory codes.
Will I need a re-examination?
Likely, at least once. The VA typically schedules a routine future exam two to five years after the initial grant for conditions expected to improve. Attend it. Failure to report can result in the rating being reduced or terminated.
What if the VA rated me under 8407 instead of 8207?
File a supplemental claim or a higher-level review arguing the wrong diagnostic code was applied. DC 8407 (neuralgia) caps at 10% and is meant for nerve pain without motor loss. If your record documents facial muscle weakness, the paralysis code 8207 is the correct one, and getting it changed can raise your ceiling from 10% to 30%.
Sources
- 38 CFR 4.124a, Schedule of ratings, neurological conditions and convulsive disorders
- 38 CFR 4.123, Neuritis, cranial or peripheral
- 38 CFR 4.124, Neuralgia, cranial or peripheral
- 38 CFR 4.79, Schedule of ratings, eye
- Federal Register: Schedule for Rating Disabilities, Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders (proposed rule)
- Bell's Palsy VA Rating, CCK Law
Benefits USA is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Ratings and payment amounts are determined by the VA based on your individual evidence.
