The appeal for service connection for rupture of the tympanic membrane is dismissed. The claim for service connection for a heart disability, to include atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, arteriosclerotic heart disease, implanted cardiac pacemaker, sick sinus syndrome, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, has been reopened and granted. The appeal for service connection for sinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board dismissed the appeal for rupture of the tympanic membrane as requested by the Veteran. The claim for heart disability was reopened due to new evidence received since the last denial, with exposure to herbicides during service presumed. The appeals for sinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded.
- Claimed conditions
- rupture of the tympanic membrane, heart disability (including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, arteriosclerotic heart disease, implanted cardiac pacemaker, sick sinus syndrome, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation), sinusitis, obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 13, 2026
- Citation
- 26000463
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 26000463.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or toxic exposure. The Veteran's claims were based on his participation in TERA activities during service.
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