Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic headaches is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The AOJ needs to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran’s headaches and his service-connected disabilities, including chronic sinusitis, sleep apnea, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, or pain from other service-connected orthopedic conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as there was no current diagnosis of these conditions, and the evidence did not support a causal relationship to active duty service.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis and rhinitis have been granted initial ratings, while the claim for aneurysms of the brain has been denied. The service connection claim for aneurysms of the brain is pending as there was no exposure basis provided.

The Board has recharacterized the issue on appeal as entitlement to service connection for allergic rhinitis claimed as sinusitis, secondary to the service-connected rhinoplasty.,Service connection is granted for allergic rhinitis (claimed as sinusitis) and denied for chronic sinusitis.

The Veteran's memory impairment is service connected on a secondary basis to her service-connected mental health conditions. The claims for PTSD, carbon monoxide poisoning, respiratory condition, right hip condition, and allergic rhinitis are denied as there is no evidence of these conditions in service or related to the Veteran's military service. Hearing loss is granted based on VA criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities make him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, rhinitis, and ulcer disorder with gastritis due to potential issues with evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and lack of adequate medical opinions. The issues include frequent fevers, chills, and sweats; recurrent tonsillitis and pharyngitis; sleep apnea secondary to PTSD; hypogonadism secondary to left testicular varicocele; and a respiratory condition (including asthma, sinusitis, and rhinitis).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded. The effective date for the award of service connection for anterior neck scar is set at September 15, 2011.

The claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,Effective from May 2, 2014, the appellant's right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is now considered as part of his Gulf War Illness.

The Board has granted service connection for rhinitis, sleep apnea, and a low back condition. The claims for right knee pain, left knee pain, right ankle condition, left ankle condition, right shoulder condition, and right bicep condition are remanded.

The Veteran's hyperhidrosis and allergic rhinitis are not service-connected, and the ratings for knee and shin splints disabilities have been denied.,Ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left patellofemoral syndrome, as well as compensable ratings for right and left leg shin splints, were also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service diagnoses and treatment.

The Board has denied service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae and bilateral pes planus, but granted service connection for allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis is denied, and the issue of a higher rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae is remanded due to duty-to-assist error.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions of record are not adequate to decide the claims for service connection for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. The duty to assist errors occurred in misidentifying the Veteran’s service periods and treatment records, and not obtaining an adequate VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for allergic rhinitis and Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee due to his withdrawal of these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including non-allergic rhinitis and an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness due to lack of credible evidence showing a current disability related to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a sinus condition and entitlement to TDIU due to incomplete opinions from an examiner regarding causation and aggravation of his sinus conditions. The claims will be readjudicated after obtaining updated VA treatment records, additional development as needed, and new opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating and an earlier effective date for service connection of allergic rhinitis was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 6522, as his symptoms did not warrant such a rating. For the earlier effective date, the Board determined there was no claim filed prior to March 24, 2018, and thus the earliest effective date is set at that time.