The appeal for whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for ruptured eardrums is granted. The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right hip tendonitis, left knee injury residuals with instability, and left knee injury residuals with limitation of flexion are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that new evidence received since the last final rating decision supports reopening the claim of service connection for ruptured eardrums. The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations were also remanded due to a lack of recent VA examination reports and incomplete medical records.
- Claimed conditions
- Ruptured eardrums, Ear infections
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19139431
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,188 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19139431.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for ear infections, lung disability (including shortness of breath), skin disability, gland infection, RLE peripheral neuropathy, and LLE peripheral neuropathy due to lack of evidence supporting in-service exposure to toxic substances. The Veteran's currently diagnosed conditions are not considered related to his active duty service.
- Dismissed
The appeal involving the issue of entitlement to service connection for residuals of ruptured eardrums is dismissed.,An effective date prior to October 18, 2013, for the award of a separate 10 percent evaluation for left knee injury residuals with limitation of flexion is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and ratings for certain disabilities. The specific issues include dental disorders, hearing loss, tinnitus, ear infections, sleep apnea, arm and elbow disorders, frostbite residuals, low back disorder, sciatic nerve disorder, psychiatric disorders, pes planus, gout in the lower extremities, bronchial asthma, and allergic rhinitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for both the PTSD and residuals of ruptured eardrums claims, including providing notice under 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f)(3) regarding personal assault allegations for PTSD, obtaining VA outpatient treatment records, scheduling a VA examination to determine if current ear disorders are related to military service, and readjudicating the issues.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.