Allergic rhinitis Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case to afford the Veteran a hearing before the Board and rescheduled his previous hearing. The appeal is now pending for further action.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is found to be etiologically related to his active service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The issue of an increased disability rating for allergic rhinitis is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis with recurrent maxillary sinusitis does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it does not result in complete obstruction of a nasal passage, 50 percent obstruction in each nasal passage, incapacitating episodes, need for prolonged antibiotics, or more than six non-incapacitating episodes characterized by headache, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting per year.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining his complete service treatment records and post-service medical records. The examiner will determine if hay fever (allergic rhinitis) existed prior to service or was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for residuals of a septectomy is denied as his disability does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain service treatment records and verify the Veteran's periods of active duty, as well as to provide a VA examination for sleep apnea and hypertension. The appeal will be remanded for these actions.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn regarding the claims of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 40 percent for the lumbar strain and entitlement to an effective date prior to January 8, 2008 for the award of the increased 40 percent rating for the lumbar strain. The Board also found that his allergic rhinitis did not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation since March 10, 2006, and his bilateral hearing loss was not compensably rated at any time during this period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, allergic sinusitis/rhinitis, ulcers, and hepatitis C, are not shown to have been incurred or aggravated during service. The initial presumption of soundness upon entry into service is rebutted as there is no clear and unmistakable evidence (CUE) that these conditions existed prior to service.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis and deviated nasal septum of the left side, status-post septoplasty have been rated at 10 percent since December 1, 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current allergic rhinitis is reasonably shown to have had its origin during his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, upper respiratory, and right ear hearing loss disabilities were denied as they are not related to his active service.,There is no indication that the Veteran's claimed conditions are related to any period of inactive duty training (INACDUTRA).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss in his left ear, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of all four extremities, hypertension, and a skin condition. The decision also addressed issues related to PTSD, allergic rhinitis, and lower back disability.

The Board granted a 10% rating for chronic rhinitis from November 7, 2005, until July 12, 2006. As of July 13, 2006, the Veteran's condition warranted a 10% rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have sinusitis or rhinitis, and there is no evidence linking his current conditions to service. Therefore, he cannot establish service connection for these disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic sinusitis, finding that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis includes a current diagnosis of chronic sinusitis. The evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran currently suffers from chronic sinusitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis is related to service and grants service connection for this condition. The claims for scalp allergies, eye allergies, and skin allergies are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected postoperative residuals of a nasal septum deformity with vasomotor rhinitis is being remanded due to the inextricability of issues related to chronic sinusitis and headaches. The Board also requests additional information regarding the location of the Veteran's recent nasal surgery.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for gastritis and allergic rhinitis are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records, including VA treatment records from Renown Health since September 2009. The Veteran is also required to undergo a new VA examination to assess her current disability levels.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is manifested by permanent hypertrophy of the turbinates and difficulty breathing during periods of acute flares. The Board finds that a compensable rating (10%) is warranted for this condition.