Sinusitis decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed psychiatric, respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, and joint disabilities are not service-connected.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for sinusitis, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and myofascial low back pain. The veteran was not granted service connection for a skin disorder (claimed as cysts).

The Board has granted service connection for xerosis and other conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, vertigo, chronic fatigue syndrome, folliculitis, right ankle disability, aphthous ulcers, sinus tachycardia, rhinosinusitis, hypertension, migraine headaches, and bilateral hearing loss. The psychiatric condition is also service connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently have sinusitis or costochondritis, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and a bilateral wrist disorder, as well as his requests for increased ratings for asthma and lumbosacral spondylosis and lumbar myositis. The decision also noted that the October 2001 RO decision denying service connection for a bilateral wrist disorder is final.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for initial ratings greater than 10 percent for his service-connected sinusitis and postoperative nasal deviation.

The veteran's service-connected conditions were evaluated at the 10 percent level for most of the appeal period, with some exceptions. The Board denied higher evaluations for various conditions.

The veteran's sinusitis was rated as noncompensably disabled under the general rating formula for sinusitis. The VA examiner found that he had between 3 and 6 non-incapacitating episodes per year, which meets the criteria for a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to incomplete records and verification of service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, sinusitis, and hypertension. The evidence did not support a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for fibrocystic breast disease and an initial evaluation for rhinosinusitis, finding that there was no increase in severity of the conditions during service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for Dengue fever and granted service connection. The claims for nasopharyngitis and sinusitis were also granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his right knee disability and service connection for sinusitis, finding that there was no evidence of a current sinusitis condition or direct service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis, finding that no more than a 10 percent rating is warranted based on the objective evidence of record.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected sinusitis does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, as there is no evidence of three or more incapacitating episodes per year requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment or more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current sinusitis had its onset in service and granted service connection for this condition.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis as there is no current evidence of a chronic condition.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10 percent disability rating was denied. His claim of CUE in the May 4, 1949 rating decision was also dismissed.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current sinusitis and there is no medical evidence linking any diagnosed condition to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for sinusitis is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic sinusitis was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.