The veteran is seeking service connection for cholesteatoma of the right ear. He contends that this condition is a result of acoustic trauma he experienced while serving in Korea during the Korean conflict. The Board finds combat presumption applies and supports a conclusion that the veteran suffered acoustic trauma during service, which could potentially support service connection.
The deciding factor: The veteran's cholesteatoma is related to his military service due to acoustic trauma sustained during service in Korea.
- Claimed conditions
- cholesteatoma of the right ear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2008
- Citation
- 0808900
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 0808900.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and compliance with previous remand directives.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the appellant's right ear disorder clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service and did not undergo any increase in disability during his military service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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