The Veteran received emergency medical treatment for ear pain and middle ear effusion at Shands Hospital North/University of Florida Health North (SHN) in Jacksonville, Florida on March 30, 2015. The Board found that the treatment was necessary due to a prudent layperson's expectation that delay would have been hazardous to health and there were no feasibly available VA facilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran received emergency medical care for an ear condition due to severe pain and acute symptoms, which placed her in serious jeopardy of health without immediate attention.
- Claimed conditions
- Ear pain, Middle ear effusion
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19174967
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19174967.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The claims for sleep apnea, ear pain, and cough/shortness of breath are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding symptom onset and course.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 0 percent for allergic rhinitis is denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for ear pain and headaches secondary to service-connected allergic rhinitis.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis based on nasal obstruction was denied. However, the Veteran received a grant of a 10 percent rating for ear pain and discharge.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and development of records, particularly regarding the nature and etiology of non-lupus ear disabilities. The Veteran's service-connected lupus is not considered in determining whether his current ear disabilities are related to service.
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