The Board finds that the Veteran's current perforated left eardrum and mixed hearing loss in the left ear were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.
The deciding factor: There is no competent evidence linking the Veteran's current perforated left eardrum to his military service, as there are no service treatment records indicating any ear problems during service or within one year of discharge. The absence of complaints, treatment, and diagnosis for decades after service makes it impossible to determine a link between the Veteran's current condition and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Perforated left eardrum, Mixed hearing loss in the left ear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 27, 2010
- Citation
- 1036414
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1036414.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a compensable evaluation for perforated left eardrum was dismissed.,The application to reopen the claim of service connection for a back disability was denied, as new and material evidence had not been submitted within the one-year appeal period.,The application to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is etiologically related to military noise exposure.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's perforated left eardrum was not caused by VA care, and thus denied compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for clarification of the nature of his incarceration and to determine if he was incarcerated due to a felony conviction, which would affect the overpayment calculation.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a perforated left eardrum and determined that there is sufficient evidence to establish that this condition is related to an incident of service, granting service connection for residuals of a perforated left tympanic membrane.
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