The veteran's bilateral Eustachian tube dysfunction and allergic rhinitis with sinusitis have been granted initial compensable ratings of 10 percent each.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations consistently indicated that the veteran had chronic recurrent symptoms such as ear infections, runny nose, and plugged-up ears, which were rated based on their impact on hearing impairment and nasal congestion. The exams did not reveal any significant anatomical abnormalities or conditions warranting higher ratings under other diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Eustachian tube dysfunction, Allergic rhinitis with sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- September 8, 2006
- Citation
- 0628071
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,547 · Granted: 20% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0628071.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for allergic rhinitis with sinusitis was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including a claim for an earlier effective date for his rhinitis rating.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. The increased rating claims for dermatitis of the hands and allergic rhinitis with sinusitis are remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions and determine if there are any new or material issues related to his claims.
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