Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for patellofemoral syndrome of the right and left knees, as well as allergic rhinitis, have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these appeals.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of a sinus condition due to exposure to burn pits while deployed in Southwest Asia. The Veteran's pre-existing allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis are not considered aggravated by service, but an addendum opinion is needed to clarify if any allergic rhinitis existed prior to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU, as his combined rating does not exceed 60 percent and he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's respiratory disability (other than allergic rhinitis) and throat disability have been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.,Joint pain, foot disability, gastrointestinal disability, fatigue with light headedness, eye disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and schizophrenia) are all pending further examination and/or opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and to address the service connection claim for sinusitis. The initial compensable rating claim for allergic rhinitis remains pending.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is not manifested by greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides, complete obstruction on one side, or polyps. As such, his claim for a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis is denied.,The Board finds that the August 2014 VA examination for constipation to be inadequate and remands this matter in order to obtain a new VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's constipation is related to service or aggravated by major depressive disorder.,The Board finds that the August 2014 VA examination for hemorrhoids to be inadequate and remands this matter in order to obtain a new VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hemorrhoids are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment for the appeal period prior to December 2, 2019.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus Type II, severe sinus problems, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, right foot injury, and right hip injury due to insufficient development and lack of informed decision.

The Veteran's hearing loss has not been reassessed in over seven years, and he testified that his tinnitus is also a problem. Therefore, another VA examination is needed to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and whether it causes or aggravates his tinnitus.,The Veteran contends that his GERD warrants a higher rating than 10 percent. The most recent examination was in December 2014, which does not account for his current symptoms such as vomiting and esophageal spasm. Another VA examination is needed to reassess the severity of his GERD.,The Veteran contends that he has esophageal spasm associated with his GERD. The most recent examination noted no esophageal spasm at all, but a private record from 2015 diagnosed him with OSA. An additional VA examination is needed to determine whether the esophageal spasm is related to his GERD or instead attributable to another condition.,The Veteran contends that he has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to loud snoring during service. The most recent STRs do not indicate any symptoms of OSA, and a private record from 2015 diagnosed him with OSA. An additional VA examination is needed to determine whether his OSA started in service or is related to another condition.,The Veteran contends that he has congestion, including asthma, rhinitis, and sinusitis, which began during service. The most recent STRs do not indicate any symptoms of these conditions, but a private record from 2014 diagnosed him with allergic rhinitis. An additional VA examination is needed to determine whether his current condition is related to service or another condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's respiratory condition, specifically allergic rhinitis. The examiner needs to provide a rationale for their opinion and clarify whether the Veteran's symptoms align with how allergic rhinitis is known to develop.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination for respiratory conditions, including sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. The Veteran's symptoms have been noted since service and continue today.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The claim for service connection for hypertension has been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected allergic rhinitis, and thus grants service connection for this condition as secondary to his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for allergic rhinitis and service connection for residuals of a head injury were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis, as there was no greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side. For the head injury claim, the Veteran's service treatment records noted head injuries but the VA examiners concluded he does not have residuals from any head injury.

The Veteran's claims for allergic rhinitis and dermatosis, both claimed as Gulf War Syndrome, are granted. The claim for Gulf War Syndrome is denied.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of allergic rhinitis, headaches, and sinusitis were denied as there was no clear and unmistakable error in the prior rating decisions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to new evidence submitted after a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis began during his active military service and have persisted since separation. The evidence supports this finding, including VA and private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of VA efforts in obtaining private medical records from Sleep Diagnostics and an inadequate examination regarding the Veteran's rhinitis disability. The AOJ is required to obtain these records and provide an addendum opinion addressing whether the current rhinitis disability is related to in-service exposure to burn pits, as well as the importance of the fact that the disability was diagnosed decades after service.