Sinusitis decisions — 2009

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the RO's denial of service connection for COPD. The Veteran's claims for service connection for Crohn's disease, anemia, and sinusitis are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial evaluation of his right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and respiratory disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a local hearing at the RO with a Decision Review Officer. The service connection claims for migraines and sinusitis, as well as the increased rating claim for nasal deformity, will be addressed after the hearing.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding records and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's earlier effective date claim is held in abeyance.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected conditions, and there is no evidence of fault on the part of VA in diagnosing or treating him. The cause of death was unrelated to military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current right elbow disability and thus cannot establish service connection. The Veteran's seizure disorder, absence seizures (petit mal), is currently rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 8911 for petit mal epilepsy. The Veteran's chronic ethmoid sinusitis has been evaluated as noncompensable. The Veteran's right wrist sprain does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right arm or hand disability that is attributable to military service, or was caused or made worse by service-connected disability. The Veteran's stomach disorder and sinusitis are also not found to be related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination report and other pertinent medical records.

The Veteran's chronic hemorrhoids were initially manifested during active service and are now granted. The Board finds that the Veteran did not have a chronic sinusitis with sore throat, burning eyes, and ear problems due to active service.

The Board denied the application to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and denied service connection for Mônière's syndrome with vertigo as well as reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for sinusitis and sinus headaches. The appeal is now in remand status due to the pending decision on the claim of service connection for sinusitis and sinus headaches.

The Veteran's appeal is being REMANDED to the RO/AMC for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate examinations and missing information in the examination reports.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sinusitis with nasal polyps and asthma existed prior to service but were aggravated by her active military service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's asthma was rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating. The Board denied an increased rating for his asthma and found that sinusitis was not service-connected as secondary to allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's claims for congenital fusion of the right hand, left ear hearing loss, sinusitis with nasal septum disability, and hypertension are denied as there is no evidence of a superimposed injury or disease in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic sinusitis is related to her service and grants her claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sinusitis, bilateral knee disability, and left ankle disability as new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is reopened but service connection is not granted.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including Wegener's granulomatosis and its related symptoms. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's autoimmune hepatitis is granted service connection, and she receives a 30% initial evaluation for her dyshydrotic eczema. The veteran also receives an initial 10% evaluation for her sinusitis and allergic rhinitis.