The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic ear infections and right ear drum perforation, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct link between these conditions and his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran’s current ear infections were not incurred in service or related to his service-connected disabilities (hearing loss and tinnitus).
- Claimed conditions
- chronic ear infections, right ear drum perforation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19145663
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.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew all pending appeals before the Board promulgated a decision.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for depression, chronic ear infections, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), acne, arthritis, heart attack, thyroid disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, catarrhal fever (common cold), foot disability, ventral hernia, dental disability, and a rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder with bipolar spectrum disorder prior to January 3, 2025.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic ear infections and a left hamstring injury due to the lack of evidence supporting current diagnoses.
- Granted
The Board granted compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disability resulting from VA treatment, to include chronic ear infections and a moderate-sized right ear drum perforation with associated scarring.
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