The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral ear disability, including cholesteatomas and chronic otitis media, is not related to her service. The evidence does not support a finding of a chronic disability during active duty service.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing a chronic bilateral ear disability during active duty service, and the VA examiner opined that it is less likely than not that the current hearing loss, tinnitus, cholesteatomas, and chronic otitis media are related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral ear disability, cholesteatomas, chronic otitis media
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 28, 2014
- Citation
- 1408616
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 1408616.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits is in dispute due to a lack of private medical records, and thus the case must be remanded to obtain these records and provide an adequate medical opinion.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral ear disability, excluding skin-related manifestations of lupus, finding no current disability and thus not meeting one of the three requirements for service connection.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for peritoneal adhesions following injury or surgery of the stomach and bilateral ear disability was withdrawn by the Veteran.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic otitis media but denied a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss.
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