The Veteran's left ear residuals of mastoiditis with surgery is granted an initial rating of 10 percent, effective from the date of the decision.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's left ear symptoms were manifested by chronic suppurative otitis media or cholesteatoma with active suppuration during the appeal period and gave great probative weight to his lay statements regarding his symptom frequency.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear residuals of mastoiditis, chronic otomastoiditis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- September 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19171042
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 19171042.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's left ear disability, characterized as chronic otomastoiditis with a perforated tympanic membrane and pain, is currently rated at 10 percent. The maximum evaluation allowed under the applicable diagnostic codes has been granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's in-patient and out-patient treatment records from various VA facilities, as well as any relevant service treatment records. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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