Sinusitis decisions — 2006

The Board has granted service connection for allergic rhinitis with a 10 percent rating effective May 1, 2005. The veteran's claims for asthma and bronchitis were denied as not related to his current condition.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation and consideration of his service-connected sinusitis.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and his request for an increased rating for pansinusitis with allergic rhinitis, finding that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the hearing loss claim and that the current disability ratings were appropriate.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service connection claim for respiratory disability other than allergic rhinitis is denied. The claim for service connection for elevated cholesterol is without legal merit.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and chronic allergic rhinitis, finding that there was no medical nexus between his current conditions and his military service. The claim for an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder was also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's currently diagnosed chronic allergic rhinitis and/or left maxilla sinusitis are not causally related to active service.

The veteran's claims for PTSD, tinnitus, tendonitis of the right elbow, short windedness due to an undiagnosed illness, nonspecific polyarthralgia due to an undiagnosed illness, and sinusitis were all denied by the Board.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied as her conditions are not attributable to active military service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board found that the veteran's sinusitis did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected right chronic maxillary sinusitis, diagnosed since October 7, 1996, does not warrant a compensable evaluation as it is currently manifested by mild inflammatory changes of the maxillary sinuses.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and sleep apnea as there was no evidence of a chronic disability during active duty or post-service, and the veteran's current symptoms were not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, finding no current disability or evidence of in-service injury that would support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, chronic allergic rhinitis, arthritis of the left knee, and arthritis of the right knee with torn meniscus and popliteal cyst. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing notification under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss were denied. Service connection was not granted for rhinitis, tinea pedis, or recurrent pneumonia.

The Board denied service connection for adjustment disorder and costochondritis, claiming as chest pain. The veteran's pericardial cyst and allergic rhinosinusitis are each rated at zero percent.,Service connection was not established for the veteran's claimed conditions.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected rhinosinusitis is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a new examination.

The veteran's claimed conditions were not found to be related to his service, and thus denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for hemorrhoids and sinusitis, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on the current symptoms.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis, sinusitis with allergic rhinitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease, all claimed as secondary to her service-connected laryngitis and intermittent left otalgia, status post tonsillectomy.