The Board granted service connection for left ear and right ear chronic otitis externa with cerumen impaction, but denied service connection for skin tags. The Board also denied increased ratings for the veteran's knee disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence supported a direct link between the Veteran's bilateral chronic otitis externa with cerumen impaction and his active service, while there was no such evidence linking the skin tags or knee conditions to service or any aggravation of pre-existing conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear chronic otitis externa with cerumen impaction, right ear chronic otitis externa with cerumen impaction, skin tags
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 9, 2025
- Citation
- 25006297
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 multiple conditions, including left and right ankle disabilities, an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a traumatic brain injury, and various other disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for skin tags due to an incorrect description of prior VA examinations and a need to obtain potentially relevant medical records.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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