The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for left chronic suppurative otitis media and remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, as well as increased ratings for headaches and postsurgical residual nerve disabilities.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's left ear drum disability was not found to warrant a compensable rating, but separate 10 percent rating was granted for chronic suppurative otitis media. The remaining issues were remanded due to duty-to-assist errors in the prior adjudication of those claims.

Claimed conditions

left ear drum disability, status post tympanomastoidectomy and tympanoplasty with ossicular chain reconstruction, low back disability, headaches associated with postsurgical left ear disability, postsurgical residual nerve disability

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

10%

Decision date

February 4, 2025

Citation

A25010129

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