Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2006

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss and degenerative joint disease of the shoulders, knees, and feet. The adjustment disorder with depressed mood claim was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's postoperative residuals of an ethmoid mass, with a history of sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, warrants a 10 percent evaluation from July 2, 1992 to August 8, 2005. Effective August 9, 2005, the veteran is entitled to a 30 percent evaluation.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected deviated nasal septum, status post nasal fracture with sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, status post septorhinoplasty, as his claim was not substantiated by evidence of worsening.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for allergic rhinitis, cataracts, and bilateral hearing loss were denied. Service connection for residuals of surgery to reverse a vasectomy was not warranted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected chronic rhinitis with a history of maxillary sinusitis and post traumatic arthritis of the left wrist, finding that the evidence did not warrant an increase in these ratings. The claim for reopening the schizophrenia issue was also denied as no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for allergic rhinitis and residuals of a nasal fracture with deviated septum.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verifying the veteran's in-service personal assault and obtaining her service medical records. The veteran is also to be provided a VA examination to determine if her current PTSD diagnosis is related to an in-service stressor.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for multiple joint arthralgias, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, low back disability, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), allergic rhinitis, and urinary tract infection (UTI) due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and chronic vasomotor rhinitis, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether these conditions were incurred during active military service.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis, effective from the date of initial entitlement.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for allergic rhinitis, finding that his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6522 due to the presence of only one polyp. The highest available rating is 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability, residuals of a right great toe fracture, and allergic rhinitis are being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records and information regarding private medical treatment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a compensable rating for vasomotor rhinitis from April 26, 1999 to May 10, 2004 and granted a 30 percent rating thereafter. The current 30 percent rating is the maximum allowed under Diagnostic Code 6522.

The veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis is granted as of May 18, 2004. The right ankle condition and fibromyalgia claims are not addressed due to lack of service connection.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to failure of the veteran to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board found that the veteran's bronchial asthma with allergic rhinitis warrants no more than a 30 percent evaluation, as his FEV-1 was between 56 to 70 percent predicted. The disability does not meet criteria for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent.

The veteran's cervical spine and low back conditions are currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The veteran's postoperative lumbosacral disc disease is rated at 40 percent prior to November 18, 2003 and at 30 percent from that date. Her maxillary sinusitis with allergic rhinitis remains rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis with nasal polyps and postoperative sinusitis is rated at 30 percent from October 1, 1996.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is not related to his service-connected rhinitis and therefore denied the claim for service connection.