The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic otitis media of the left ear, depression secondary to left ear otitis media, headaches secondary to left ear otitis media, and loss of balance secondary to left ear otitis media have all been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any complaints or diagnoses related to the claimed conditions during service. His current symptoms are first noted decades after separation from service, and there is no medical opinion associating these conditions with his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Otitis Media of the Left Ear, Depression, claimed as secondary to left ear otitis media, Headaches, claimed as secondary to left ear otitis media, Loss of Balance, claimed as secondary to left ear otitis media
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2010
- Citation
- 1002629
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 1002629.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple myeloma, back disability (secondary to multiple myeloma), and depression, with an effective date of January 26, 2021. The decision also remanded claims related to breast cancer, DEA benefits, and initial ratings.
- Denied
The veteran's bad conduct discharge precludes eligibility for VA benefits, including compensation and healthcare.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and personality disorder, due to the need for further development of the record.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
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