The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn for the issue of increased evaluation for service-connected otitis media with bilateral hearing loss. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is dismissed as moot due to the assignment of a 100% schedular evaluation for rheumatic heart disease, status post aortic valve replacement. Service connection for tinnitus was denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding an increased evaluation for service-connected otitis media with bilateral hearing loss and the claim for TDIU is moot due to the assigned rating for rheumatic heart disease. There is no evidence of current tinnitus related to military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Otitis media with bilateral hearing loss, Rheumatic heart disease, status post aortic valve replacement, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- May 26, 2010
- Citation
- 1019520
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 1019520.
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 depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but remanded the claim for degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
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