Sinusitis decisions — 2010

The Veteran's service-connected perennial allergic rhinitis/sinusitis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds no evidence of more than three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year. Therefore, a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran asserts service connection for a low back disability and other conditions. The Board finds that additional verification of his Reserve service is needed.,The Veteran asserts service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. The Board finds that additional verification of his Reserve service is needed and a new VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology, including aggravation, of any hearing loss demonstrated to have existed either during service or prior to service.,The Veteran asserts service connection for gastrointestinal disability (GERD and hiatal hernia). The Board finds that additional verification of his Reserve service is needed and a new VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology, including aggravation, of any gastrointestinal condition demonstrated to have existed either during service or prior to service.,The Veteran asserts service connection for chronic nasal allergies (sinusitis and/or rhinitis). The Board finds that additional verification of his Reserve service is needed and a new VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology, including aggravation, of any chronic nasal allergy demonstrated to have existed either during service or prior to service.,The Veteran asserts service connection for pulmonary disability (bronchitis). The Board finds that additional verification of his Reserve service is needed and a new VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology, including aggravation, of any bronchitis demonstrated to have existed either during service or prior to service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for sinusitis has been reopened. Service connection was granted for bilateral hearing loss disability, but a compensable evaluation is denied. The claims for ulcers, muscle and joint pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome are addressed in the remand portion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart murmur, hypertension, cyst on liver, sinusitis, enlarged prostate, and low back disorder due to Agent Orange exposure were denied as there is no positive association between such conditions and his period of active military service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a direct service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, and it is not secondary to his right knee disorder. The nasal injury was also denied as there is insufficient evidence linking the current sinusitis and deviated septum to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected rhinosinusitis is currently rated at 30 percent disabling for the period beginning on May 7, 2009.

The Veteran's claims for clothing allowances for calendar years 2004 and 2007 are being remanded to the VAMC for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and ensuring compliance with previous Board instructions.

The Veteran's claims to reopen service connection for shoulder, headache, hip, and leg disabilities are granted. The underlying claims of entitlement to increased ratings for service-connected residuals of a compression fracture, C-6 with degenerative disc disease and sinusitis are deferred pending completion of the development sought in the remand that follows.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew it prior to a decision being made.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and sinusitis, as well as his increased rating claim for tinnitus. The Veteran is not shown to have these conditions attributable to his period of active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence regarding her claimed heart condition, sinus disorder, and upper extremity disorders. Further development is needed for VA examinations in cardiology, orthopedics, and possibly a pulmonologist.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for the Veteran's left ankle disorder, but denied his claims of service connection for other conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings and service connection as there was no timely substantive appeal filed.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development due to issues related to service connection for various conditions, including an undiagnosed illness and gastrointestinal disorders.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a neck disability, headaches, bilateral knee disability, and an initial compensable rating for sinusitis with allergies. The decision found that there was no evidence supporting additional low back or neck disabilities due to VA treatment in 1999, and concluded that the Veteran did not have sufficient underlying pathology to support his complaints of chronic back pain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches, sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis are not related to his service-connected COPD. Therefore, the claims for secondary service connection have been denied.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence linking a current disability caused by rhinitis to service, and thus the claim for service connection for rhinitis is denied.

The Veteran's sinusitis was characterized by symptoms including nasal congestion, frontal and maxillary sinus pressure and pain, chronic sinus headache, occasional purulent discharge. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximated the criteria for a 10 percent rating from February 19, 2005 to June 16, 2005, but not warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's maxillary sinusitis with allergic rhinitis is currently rated at 10 percent, and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The residuals of his fracture of the left tibia and fibula with recurvatum of the left knee are currently rated at 30 percent from October 1, 1999, but do not meet the criteria for a higher rating. His spinal stenosis is currently rated at 40 percent, which meets the criteria for that disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of right elbow disability and hearing loss of the left ear during a Board hearing. The appeal concerning an increased rating for sinusitis is being remanded.