Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2004

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for increased rating for sinusitis and service connection for respiratory and pulmonary disability, including bronchitis and upper respiratory infections. The claim to reopen his previously denied gastrointestinal condition is also granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current disabilities involving his hands, knees, wrists, or respiratory system as a result of service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current respiratory disorder is not due to service, specifically exposure to diesel fumes or byproducts. The preponderance of evidence indicates that his condition is more likely related to years of smoking.

The Board denied the veteran's claims regarding the propriety of reducing his anxiety reaction rating from 30% to 10%, as well as his entitlement to increased ratings for both his anxiety reaction and allergic rhinitis with maxillary sinusitis.

The veteran's vocational rehabilitation benefits were terminated because she did not participate in her plan since March 1993, and VA is limited to providing only 18 months of employment services. The Board finds that the veteran has been rehabilitated and does not have a serious employment handicap.

The Board has determined that the veteran's vasomotor rhinitis and recurrent sinusitis with headaches were incurred in active service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the receipt of new medical evidence after the issuance of the August 2003 Statement of the Case (SOC). The RO must review the entire record, including this new evidence, and issue an SSOC for readjudication.

The Board has granted service connection for dysthymia and found that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder began during active service. The other issues on appeal are remanded to obtain VA treatment records, conduct examinations, and determine appropriate ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's hay fever, finding that it is related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of the veteran's service-connected disabilities. The appeal is now pending again with the RO.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and an earlier effective date were denied. The appeal of the November 1983 rating decision regarding service connection for allergies, asthma, and arthritis was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further procedural and evidentiary development, including consideration of the VCAA. The veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for chronic sinusitis with allergic rhinitis since May 19, 1993 is now pending.

The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for allergic rhinitis, as there was no medical evidence linking the current condition to the veteran's military service.

VA denied the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for arterial hypertension, migraine headache with post-traumatic exacerbation, PTSD, peptic ulcer disease and hepatitis C, right shoulder pain, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, facial and scalp rash, and sinusitis and rhinitis.,VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder pain, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, facial and scalp rash, and sinusitis and rhinitis. However, VA granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 10 percent evaluation effective August 1, 2000.,VA denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for peptic ulcer disease and hepatitis C.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations, finding no evidence linking his disabilities to service or meeting the criteria for higher ratings. The claims of reopening for hypertension and sinusitis were also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran is seeking service connection for allergic diathesis with primarily symptoms of rhinitis (claimed as allergic and/or chronic rhinitis). The VA has remanded the case to obtain additional evidence, including treatment records from VAMC Alexandria, Louisiana. A VA examination will be conducted to determine if there is a link between the veteran's service and her claimed condition.

The Board granted service connection for vasomotor rhinitis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, finding that these conditions were aggravated by in-service injuries. The claims for skull fracture, weakness of the right side of the body due to head injury, and memory loss due to head injury were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability.

The veteran's migraine headaches and sinusitis and allergic rhinitis have been granted initial evaluations, with the rating for migraine headaches increased to 30 percent effective February 27, 1997.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 1, 2001 for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis did not meet or nearly approximate the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 6522, and thus denied his claim.