Sinusitis decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right great toe disability, right shoulder dislocation, sinusitis, and epididymitis. The decision also found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen these claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection for respiratory disorder (chronic sinusitis) and residuals of renal cell cancer have been granted. The Board is unsure about the status of his cervical spine disability claim, but secondary service connection has been established for peripheral vascular disease affecting both lower extremities.

The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for allergic rhinitis, as there was no medical evidence linking the current condition to the veteran's military service.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected residuals of maxillary sinusitis did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, and thus denied his claim.

VA denied the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for arterial hypertension, migraine headache with post-traumatic exacerbation, PTSD, peptic ulcer disease and hepatitis C, right shoulder pain, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, facial and scalp rash, and sinusitis and rhinitis.,VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder pain, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, facial and scalp rash, and sinusitis and rhinitis. However, VA granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 10 percent evaluation effective August 1, 2000.,VA denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for peptic ulcer disease and hepatitis C.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a link between current conditions and service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations, finding no evidence linking his disabilities to service or meeting the criteria for higher ratings. The claims of reopening for hypertension and sinusitis were also denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran is seeking service connection for allergic diathesis with primarily symptoms of rhinitis (claimed as allergic and/or chronic rhinitis). The VA has remanded the case to obtain additional evidence, including treatment records from VAMC Alexandria, Louisiana. A VA examination will be conducted to determine if there is a link between the veteran's service and her claimed condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran's chronic rhinosinusitis is related to service.

The Board granted service connection for vasomotor rhinitis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, finding that these conditions were aggravated by in-service injuries. The claims for skull fracture, weakness of the right side of the body due to head injury, and memory loss due to head injury were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability.

The Board denied an increased rating for service-connected chronic maxillary sinusitis, finding that the veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's request for a hearing before the Board is acknowledged, and his case is remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, fibromyalgia, cervical cancer/dysplasia, ear disorder (otitis media and externa), nasal disorder (upper respiratory infections and sinusitis), headache disorder, jaw disorder, cervical spine disorder, and low back disorder. The evidence received since the October 1993 rating decision does not show that any of these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and reopening of her claims due to lack of new and material evidence, except for a claim related to epidermal cyst on her occipital area.

The veteran's migraine headaches and sinusitis and allergic rhinitis have been granted initial evaluations, with the rating for migraine headaches increased to 30 percent effective February 27, 1997.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 1, 2001 for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his hearing loss, otitis media, sinusitis, anxiety disorder, and major depression.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, gastrointestinal disability (GERD), and sinusitis due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings have been granted, with a rating of 10 percent assigned for degenerative joint disease of the left ankle and residuals of an excision of a right thigh cyst. The other claims remain denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete notification and assistance under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA), and a need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current sinusitis and depression.