Sinusitis decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for refractive error, headaches, and allergic rhinitis (claimed as a sinus condition) are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy, tinnitus, bilateral Eustachian tube dysfunction, and sinusitis. Service connection was also established for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. The veteran's lumbar spine condition is not presumed due to exposure to Agent Orange or other environmental factors.

The veteran's service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and vascular headaches and cervicogenic headaches, secondary to cervical degenerative joint disease of the spine, has been granted with a 10% evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for additional information from the veteran.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis, finding that there was no competent medical evidence linking his current diagnosis to his military service.

The Board denied reopening the veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and rhinitis due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The RO has already assigned the maximum available rating (10%) for tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss is rated at zero percent.

The Board denied service connection for chronic sinusitis, PTSD, and hypertension. The veteran's claim of service connection for sinusitis was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection for PTSD could not be established as there were no verified in-service stressors. Hypertension was also not found to have been incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current allergic rhinitis disorder is not attributable to service, and therefore denied her claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including chemical burns to the face, venereal disease, cervical spine disability, trauma to the testicles, hypertension, sinusitis, and bilateral plantar heel disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and PTSD, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to his period of active duty service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and right lateral malleolus fracture residuals were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on the severity of her service-connected conditions.

The veteran's cervical strain was rated at 10 percent from June 1, 2003, to September 25, 2003. His left knee disability and allergic rhinitis were both rated as non-compensable.

The Board found that the termination of disability compensation benefits was proper effective October 1, 1998. The veteran's claim for reinstatement of his benefit back to this date was denied.

The VA has determined that the veteran's pan sinusitis, without any incapacitating episodes or more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis with headaches and purulent discharge or crusting, warrants a 10 percent evaluation.

The veteran's respiratory disease, characterized as an allergic reaction manifested by sinusitis, was granted a noncompensable evaluation from June 19, 1996, to March 14, 2006. On and after March 15, 2006, the veteran is entitled to a compensable evaluation for his respiratory disease.

The Board has determined that the veteran's sinusitis with headaches warrants a 30 percent evaluation, as it meets the criteria for such under Diagnostic Code 6513.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 21, 2000 for a rating evaluation of 30 percent for sinusitis with allergic rhinitis.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and a rating in excess of 30 percent for bronchitis with bronchiectasis. The veteran's claims were remanded to obtain additional evidence, but the case is being returned due to new information provided by the veteran.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied. His claim for increased rating of post-phlebitic syndrome and right knee disability was granted with a 30% and 20% ratings, respectively.