The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for status post recurrent mastoidectomies with suppurative otitis media, cholesteatoma, and polypoid lesions is denied as there is no evidence that this disability causes marked interference with employment or has required frequent periods of hospitalization.
The deciding factor: The disability picture does not present such an exceptional or unusual case as to render impracticable the application of the regular schedular standards.
- Claimed conditions
- status post recurrent mastoidectomies with suppurative otitis media, cholesteatoma, polypoid lesions
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 23, 2006
- Citation
- 0608345
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,467 · Granted: 18% (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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0608345.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea but has remanded the issue of service connection for cholesteatoma due to a duty-to-assist error.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for cholesteatoma and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in failing to provide VA examinations. The Veteran is entitled to a VA examination for both claims.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from May 25, 2010. The case is remanded for additional development regarding the compensable rating for bilateral cholesteatoma.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeal for further development, including obtaining missing audiograms and addressing CUE allegations.
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.