Sinusitis decisions — 2003

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis, a heart disability (including hypertension), and left knee tendonitis. The claim for a compensable evaluation for residuals of a fracture of the left 3rd digit was granted with a noncompensable evaluation.

The veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder and Guillain-Barre syndrome, as secondary to a swine flu vaccination. The appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeal of the RO's April 1998 denial of increased disability ratings for migraine headaches, tachycardia, gout, tinea pedis, right foot plantar fasciitis, and gastroenteritis due to a lack of timely filed substantive appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including examinations by VA specialists and review of private clinical records. The veteran's right knee disability, gastrointestinal problems, and sinusitis are under consideration.

The veteran's claim is being remanded due to inadequate records and the need for further medical examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hearing loss, gastrointestinal disorder, sinusitis, cervical spine disorder (neck injury), left elbow disorder, left shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, or left ankle disorder. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, sinusitis, allergic disorders, prostate gland disorder, hearing loss, and a lung disorder (COPD), all of which were found to be not related to his active military service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has ordered further development in the veteran's case, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations. The appeal is currently pending due to this additional development.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The case will then be returned to the Board for further review.

The Board has ordered further development in the case due to pending issues and new evidence. The appeal is currently on hold for additional review.

The VA has granted service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist and assigned an initial noncompensable rating, while chronic rhinitis remains without a compensable rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and an increased evaluation for his gastrointestinal disorder, finding no evidence of chronic conditions in service or subsequent to service. The joint disease claim was not addressed as it pertained to issues not related to service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for chronic sinusitis, back disorder, recurrent abdominal pain, and sleep apnea. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the veteran's death, and no jurisdiction remains for the merits of these claims.

The Board found no competent and persuasive evidence that the veteran has a chronic sinus disability related to his active military service, including any eye or other trauma sustained therein.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the service-connected sinusitis, which is more than the current noncompensable rating. The decision also notes that appellant's sinusitis does not meet criteria for higher ratings due to lack of incapacitating episodes or severe symptoms after repeated surgeries.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected sinusitis did not cause or contribute substantially to his lung cancer, which was diagnosed after service. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for service-connected sinusitis and continued the noncompensable rating for service-connected prostate disorder, finding that the veteran's symptoms more closely approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has jurisdiction to adjudicate the claims for increased ratings for left ankle disability, hypertensive vascular disease and coronary artery disease from January 1, 1998, maxillary sinusitis, and service connection for lung condition. The RO must readjudicate these issues with any subsequent revisions in rating determinations deemed necessary.

The Board has determined that the veteran's allergic rhinosinusitis is related to service, but his residual disability of chronic tonsillitis is not.