The Veteran's claim for service connection for left otitis media was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for a spine disability and balance problems secondary to perforated left tympanic membrane were also denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to active service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not provide new and material evidence to reopen his claim for service connection for left otitis media, as the submitted evidence does not address the reason for the previous denial (lack of current diagnosis).,For the spine disability and balance problems claims, there is no evidence linking these conditions to active service.
- Claimed conditions
- left otitis media, spine disability, balance problems, degenerative arthritis left knee status post total arthroplasty, headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19102881
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 headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased initial disability evaluation of headaches due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.
- Dismissed
The appeals for restoration of ratings and for a higher disability rating were dismissed as the April 2025 rating decision did not make final decisions on these issues.
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