Sinusitis decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his previous denial in 1981.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound due to his service-connected disabilities, as well as his non-service-connected conditions. The RO previously granted a non-service-connected pension.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for compensable ratings for sleep apnea, low back disorder (lumbosacral strain), and sinusitis. The disabilities were found to be asymptomatic or with slight subjective symptoms only.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The bilateral eye disability remains at a 50 percent rating, sinusitis is not compensable, and scars of the nose and face are rated as noncompensable.

The Board has determined that the veteran's sinusitis is directly related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a stomach disability, dysplasia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sinusitis, hypertension, and mastalgia. The evidence presented since the December 2000 rating decision is not new and material to reopen any of these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hiatal hernia and sinusitis/allergic rhinitis do not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board denied the appellant's claims to reopen his service connection for arthritis of the left hip and sinusitis, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted. The basic eligibility requirement for nonservice-connected pension was also denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis and remanded it to the RO for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination. The appeal is pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disorder and an upper respiratory disorder (sinusitis/allergic rhinitis), as well as his request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for residual burns sustained in service. The appeals were based on direct evidence, without any presumption or secondary relationship to a pre-existing condition.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The appeals for increased ratings were also denied.

The veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA examination reports and treatment records.

The Board found no evidence of hypertension or sinusitis with headaches during service and denied the veteran's claims.,There is insufficient medical evidence to establish a connection between current conditions and service.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The maximum schedular rating of 50 percent is assigned for residuals of a shell fragment wound of the left side of the face with sinusitis, but no new evidence was provided to reopen previously denied claims.

The Board found that the veteran's current sinusitis did not begin during service and is not related to any in-service event, including his inservice oral surgery. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a chest disorder was denied as there was no evidence of a chronic low back disorder in service and no current diagnosis of a chest disorder. The remaining claims were not addressed due to the pending nature of other issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service medical records and the need for additional examinations. The veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The VA has granted an increased evaluation of 10 percent for chronic sinusitis and residual chronic headaches and dizziness from craniotomy for brain abscess.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need to obtain medical records and schedule a VA examination. The case will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for tinnitus and sinusitis, but denied the claims for service connection for a neurological disability of the right arm and hypertension. The claims are being remanded for further development.