The Veteran's claim for VA payment or reimbursement of medical services received at Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus, Ohio on December 21, 2010 is denied because a feasible VA facility was available to provide the treatment and an attempt to use this facility beforehand would have been considered reasonable by a prudent layperson.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's ear pain and drainage were treated at a private hospital, but a VA facility (Columbus VAMC) was feasibly available and an attempt to use it beforehand would have been reasonable.
- Claimed conditions
- Ear pain, Drainage from left ear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 13, 2022
- Citation
- 22052163
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 22052163.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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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