Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2019

The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities, including depression and back pain. The Board has granted TDIU based on the impact of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sickle cell trait with bleeding and migraines, sleep apnea (Gulf War exposure), erectile dysfunction (secondary to hernia and medications), degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, allergic rhinitis, and inguinal hernia. The Veteran is also requested to provide a DRO hearing.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, allergic rhinitis, and several other conditions are granted service connection. Service connection is also remanded for low back, cervical spine, right knee, gastrointestinal, and hypertension disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a pulmonary condition, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, rhinitis, and bronchitis, is remanded due to the need for additional evidence. The Board will request an opinion regarding whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Bell’s palsy, sinus disorder, and back disorder have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence.,VA treatment records from prior to October 2013 are needed for Bell’s palsy claim; a VA examination is also required.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for respiratory disorders, nasal polyps, and a low back disorder due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea with COPD and irritable bowel syndrome, have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral sciatica and allergic rhinitis due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran needs to be provided with VA examinations to address these issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back disability, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and migraine headaches due to their potential connection to service in the Gulf War theater of operations. The VA is required to provide a new examination to determine if these conditions are related to undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illnesses.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer as a result of exposure to herbicides, allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, and dizzy spells/vertigo due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's exposure to pesticides in Korea is being investigated further.

The Board has remanded the claims for high cholesterol, PTSD, left carpal tunnel syndrome, scar from cesarean sections, hysterectomy, left oophorectomy, tinnitus, pelvic pain after childbirth, right shoulder dislocation, rhinitis and sinusitis (claimed as allergies), bilateral plantar fasciitis, hypertension, eczema, lumbar spine arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and severe alopecia (claimed as cicatrical scarring alopecia) for additional development to verify service records.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and etiology of the Veteran's respiratory, skin, allergic rhinitis, and neurological disabilities. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including MAI, allergic rhinitis/sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, renal cyst, and muscle weakness (related to myasthenia gravis), have been denied as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is not compensable as there are no polyps or significant nasal obstruction.,Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome was not incurred during service and is not related to any in-service injury, event, or disease. The condition began many years after separation from active duty.,Obstructive sleep apnea was not diagnosed during service and the Veteran did not have a CPAP machine prescribed for this condition while on active duty.,Diabetic nephropathy with hypertension is not considered to be proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated beyond its natural progression by service-connected disability. The Veteran does not meet the requirement of presumed herbicide exposure as per 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e).,Bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is not considered to be proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated beyond its natural progression by service-connected disability.,Bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is not considered to be proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated beyond its natural progression by service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, but the evidence does not establish a link between his current hearing loss and in-service noise exposure. Service connection is therefore denied.,Service connection was denied for hypothyroidism as there is no evidence of its onset during service or within one year thereafter. The Veteran's claim for residuals of squamous cell carcinoma has also been denied due to lack of a diagnosis in service or soon after discharge.,The Veteran's Peyronie’s disease claim remains pending, with the Board finding that current evidence does not support a diagnosis in service or shortly after separation from active duty.,Service connection was denied for allergic rhinitis as there is no evidence of obstruction meeting the criteria set forth in VA's rating schedule. The Veteran's request for an increased disability rating remains pending.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis has not been rated higher than zero percent due to lack of nasal obstruction or polyps.,Service connection for sinusitis was denied in December 2008 and the claim is now reopened.

The Board has denied service connection for urethral/bladder problems and granted restoration of ratings for allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis. The decision also found that the reduction in disability ratings from 10 percent to noncompensable was improper.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis was denied as there is no new and material evidence to support the claim.,Service connection for pelvic tilt condition, GERD, and pes planus were all denied as they are not related to any service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further action on the issue of a higher rating for xerosis with pruritis. The TDIU claim is granted.