Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for essential tremors and allergic rhinitis, as well as their associated turbinate surgeries. The issues are being reviewed to determine if there is clear and unmistakable evidence that the conditions pre-existed service or were aggravated by service.

The Board has withdrawn the ratings for major depressive disorder, pes planus, anemia, chronic conjunctivitis, and allergic rhinitis. The claims of service connection for bilateral shin splints and left knee condition are remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a heart disability is denied, and his claims for increased ratings are all denied. The Board finds no evidence to support the Veteran's assertions of in-service exposure to herbicides or other incidents that would warrant presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting additional medical examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and denied all other service connection claims. Service connection was not granted for tinnitus, chronic sinusitis/rhinitis, pes planus, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), hypertension (HTN), or ulcers.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including depression, lumbar spine disability, intervertebral osteochondrosis, C3-C4, C6-C7, bilateral hearing loss, parotid gland neoplasm, and peripheral neuropathy have been granted with effective dates of May 20, 2011.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression has also been granted with an effective date of January 30, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's allergies and/or allergic rhinitis were not caused or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of an increase in severity during service. The condition was a pre-existing disorder.

The Board has determined that there was inadequate compliance with the prior remand instructions and thus the case must be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back condition, right ankle condition, left ankle condition, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension. The Veteran's claims were previously remanded to obtain treatment records and provide an examination.,Service connection was not granted for OSA as it is secondary to the Veteran’s service-connected rhinitis.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection of a left foot disability is granted. His claim for a compensable initial rating for allergic rhinitis remains denied, and the issues of service connection for right knee disability, back disability, and respiratory disability are remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a compensable rating for service-connected allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, costochondritis, tonsillitis, low back disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, left lower extremity disorder, rhinitis, sinusitis, and headaches have been denied. The case is remanded for additional development in regard to these issues.,An effective date prior to June 30, 2016 for the award of service connection for tinnitus has not been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) and remanded other issues related to the Veteran's disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining a new opinion on secondary service connection for deviated septum. The issues of PTSD rating, TDIU, and SMC based on aid and attendance are also being remanded.

The Board has dismissed all claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for dyslipidemia is denied as it is not a disability under VA law and regulations.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine strain, low back pain, degenerative joint diseases of the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles, and feet, allergic rhinitis, peptic ulcer, diverticulosis, hiatal hernia, erectile dysfunction, benign prostate hyperplasia, memory disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depression are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a total disability rating due to unemployability (TDIU) is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the above-mentioned issues.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining SSA records and adjudicating a CUE claim. The issues of service connection for residuals of a facial injury to include nasal trauma; service connection for allergic rhinitis; and entitlement to TDIU are also being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches. The issues of service connection for gastroesophageal disease (GERD), upper back and cervical spine disability, and sinusitis and rhinitis are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's current severity of his rhinitis and any associated respiratory conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for right knee disability was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a), but referred the case to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of an extra-schedular rating due to service-connected disabilities.