Sinusitis decisions — 2005

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the service-connected chronic sinusitis and rhinitis, effective from June 30, 1997.

The Board has granted service connection for latex allergy/sensitivity and denied increased disability ratings for hypertension, sinusitis, right knee chondromalacia, and left knee chondromalacia. The veteran's hypertension does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7101.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, except for the claim related to an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD). The other issues were not addressed as they are part of a larger appeal.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a respiratory disorder due to an undiagnosed illness and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected maxillary and ethmoidal sinusitis with allergic rhinitis does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's sinusitis is currently rated at 10 percent, reflecting one or two incapacitating episodes per year requiring prolonged (lasting four to six weeks) antibiotic treatment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, sinusitis, neck disability, back disability, and left foot disability as there is no current evidence of these conditions or a relationship to military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and increased rating for sinusitis were denied, but the claim for an increased rating for sinusitis was granted.

The Board found that the veteran's HIV, diabetes mellitus, and sinusitis were not incurred in or aggravated during active service. The evidence did not establish a clear link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board found no evidence of chronic sinusitis in service records and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sinusitis as there is no medical evidence of these conditions in service or for several years after discharge. The Board found that any current complaints are not related to military service.

The veteran's service-connected sinusitis, which necessitated multiple surgical procedures and resulted in more than six non-incapacitating episodes annually requiring antibiotic treatment, has been granted a 50 percent evaluation effective October 6, 2001.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for alopecia areata and tinea pedis.,Evidence received since January 2000 did not meet the criteria for reopening the claim for service connection for alopecia areata.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic sinusitis and Lyme disease, finding that the veteran's conditions were first manifested during his active military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, left knee stiffness, and hypertension were denied. The claim for an increased rating for chronic low back strain was remanded.,Service connection was not granted for a right ankle lump or mitral valve prolapse.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, an immunodeficiency syndrome with chronic upper respiratory infections, sinusitis and bronchitis, peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, post-traumatic stress disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The reasons were that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the veteran's service or radiation exposure.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for a deviated nasal septum was granted, but the initial evaluation of 30 percent for sinusitis remains denied.,A 10 percent rating is assigned from December 9, 1994, to June 16, 1998, for the deviated nasal septum. The veteran's claim for higher initial ratings for sinusitis was denied.

The veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was granted service connection. Sinusitis and a gastrointestinal disorder were denied as not related to military service. The low back disorder and headaches (muscle-contraction) were also denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically PTSD, was granted based on the presumption of exposure to combat.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left eye disability, lung disability (claimed as due to asbestos exposure), hypertension, acute sinusitis, and back condition (claimed as resulting from herbicide exposure). The reasons were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.