The Veteran seeks service connection for chronic otitis externa of the left ear. The Board finds that a VA examination is necessary to determine the etiology of his current condition and whether it is related to active military service.
The deciding factor: The service treatment records from the Veteran's period of service are unavailable, necessitating a medical opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's chronic otitis externa.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic otitis externa, left ear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 19, 2009
- Citation
- 0931060
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 0931060.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic otitis externa, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between the condition and the Veteran's active service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the claims for migraines, chronic otitis externa, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 10 percent rating for chronic otitis externa and remanded the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee joint osteoarthritis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to address the Veteran's contended manifestations and complications of chronic otitis externa, including tinnitus, pain, vertigo, swelling, treatment with hydrogen peroxide and ear drops.
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