Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for right and left knee disorders.

The Veteran is entitled to an earlier effective date of April 14, 2008 for a TDIU due to her service-connected disabilities and inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and etiology of the Veteran's hay fever, which is claimed as a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new VA medical opinion to clarify the Veteran's current respiratory diagnoses and determine if any pre-existing sinusitis, hay fever, or asthma were aggravated during service. The issues of TDIU prior to June 15, 2011 and SMP based on need for regular aid and attendance are also remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the respiratory condition claim.

All claims for service connection related to bilateral otosclerosis with impaired hearing, post-operative stapedectomies have been dismissed.,The claim for service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to bilateral otosclerosis with impaired hearing, post-operative stapedectomies is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for either condition during the appeal period.

The Board has denied service connection for a respiratory condition, to include bronchitis, and remanded the claim for allergic rhinitis due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis, rhinitis with nasal polyps and eustachian tube dysfunction, and variously diagnosed psychiatric disorders (including dysthymia and adjustment disorder). Service connection was denied for deviated nasal septum.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under Diagnostic Code 7522.,The Veteran's left little finger disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under Diagnostic Code 5230.,The Veteran's right hand disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to make a decision on his claims due to lack of medical opinions and missing records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis and residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been granted. However, his service connection claims for essential tremors of the right upper extremity and left upper extremity remain denied.,Service connection has been established for the Veteran's residuals of TBI due to an in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergies and OSA, to include as secondary to allergies, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The reduction in the disability evaluation for chronic sinusitis from 30 percent to noncompensable effective September 1, 2016 was improper. The reduction in the disability evaluation for allergic rhinitis from 10 percent to noncompensable effective September 1, 2016 was proper.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for allergic rhinitis, shin splints, and shin splints (repeated). The Veteran was diagnosed with these conditions during the appeal period but the VA examiner found no current disability. Further medical opinions are required to resolve this discrepancy.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to result in permanent disability, and therefore the criteria for a permanent and total rating under VA regulations are not met.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and whether service-connected disabilities contributed to it. The Veteran died from a brain tumor, but without known pathology of the brain mass, no definite determination can be made on whether the brain mass was related to military service or metastasized from his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and a retrospective medical opinion to assess the severity of his lower back disability prior to August 3, 2017. The issues of PTSD, GERD with hiatal hernia and IBS, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral pes planus with bilateral plantar fasciitis are also remanded for updated examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to schedule a VA examination, and the Veteran was not notified of any scheduled examination.

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable rating for rhinitis and service connection for PTSD have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings for various conditions, including PTSD and allergic rhinitis.