Sinusitis decisions — 2000

The veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and other disabilities render him unable to attend to his daily needs without the assistance of another person, meeting the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a deviated nasal septum and chronic sinusitis are not well grounded, as there is no evidence of such conditions during his military service or related to any in-service injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma and chronic sinusitis on a direct basis due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for sinusitis, currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee and thigh conditions, as well as a total rating based on individual unemployability due to nonservice-connected psychiatric disability. The veteran was found not to meet the criteria for a total rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) (extraschedular consideration).

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease including hypertension as they are not well-grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for low back disability and sinusitis as they are not well-grounded.

The Board granted service connection for various conditions and assigned a 10 percent disability evaluation to the fracture of the left ankle. Service connection was also established for first degree atrioventricular block, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sinusitis, recurrent ear, nose, and throat infections, hiatal hernia, gastritis, and cervical spine radiculopathy. The claim for service connection for rib pain was denied as not well grounded.

The VA determined that the veteran's sinusitis does not warrant a compensable evaluation under either the previous or amended regulations, as there is no evidence of chronic sinusitis and symptoms have been attributed to an allergic condition unrelated to service.

The veteran's death was not directly related to service or any of his service-connected disabilities, but he was continuously rated as totally disabled for more than 10 years immediately preceding his death. The claim for payment of certain accrued benefits on death of a beneficiary under 38 U.S.C.A. § 5121 is held in abeyance pending completion of the development requested.

The Board found that the veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a broken nose, sinusitis, arthritis, arteriosclerotic heart disease, and emphysema, are not well-grounded. The evidence did not show any in-service injury or disease that would support these claims.

The Board has granted a 30% evaluation for service-connected maxillary sinusitis and a 20% evaluation for service-connected prostatitis, effective from the date of the decision.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected sinusitis and residuals of tonsillectomy were denied as there was no evidence of symptomatic residuals from these conditions.

The veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to her service-connected disabilities and new claims. The Board has ordered further development of the record, including obtaining examination reports and private treatment records.

The Board denied all claims of increased rating and service connection, finding no competent medical evidence linking current conditions to service or any other basis for granting service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic cervical strain is service-connected, but his sinus disability cannot be linked to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of service connection for bronchitis, sinusitis, low back disability, and bilateral hearing loss are not well-grounded. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that they were not well-grounded due to a lack of evidence supporting their diagnosis or causation.

The Board found that the veteran's claims of service connection for allergic rhinitis/sinusitis, abnormal reaction to insect bites, head disability, neck disability, and right foot disability other than residuals of frozen feet are not well grounded due to lack of competent medical evidence showing current disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's disabilities do not permit training to begin within a reasonable period; thus, achievement of a vocational goal is infeasible at this time.