The Veteran's initial compensable rating for chronic otitis externa was denied, and his service connection claim for a dental condition was also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable diagnostic codes for ear disorders or for service connection under the specific classes outlined in 38 C.F.R. § 17.161 for dental conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic otitis externa, dental condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 28, 2018
- Citation
- 18161135
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 18161135.
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 a right shoulder disability, skin condition (tinea pedis), and lumbar spine disability but denied it for a dental condition.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a dental condition for treatment purposes to VHA for determination of eligibility.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a dental condition, finding that the Veteran's teeth were lost due to trauma and not as a result of an in-service injury or disease.
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