Sinusitis decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule him for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed sleep disorder, loss of smell, loss of taste, sinusitis, and deviated septum. The Board will consider whether service connection can be granted based on direct evidence or other theories.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability is not related to his service, and there is no evidence of a right knee or sinusitis disability. The claims for depression were also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are too numerous and severe to identify a feasible vocational goal, leading to the denial of his VR&E benefits.

The Board has received a statement from the Veteran requesting to withdraw his appeal, and thus the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings for sinusitis and migraine headaches. The case is being remanded to allow for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient records from July 2013 forward, a VA medical examination for the purposes of evaluating her service-connected sinusitis, and readjudication of both claims.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations addressing his respiratory conditions, and the need for a new examination to determine if any current respiratory condition had onset during or as a result of his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of deviated septum with septorhinoplasty. Service connection is denied for bilateral Eustachian tube dysfunction and sinusitis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder (claimed stomach disability) has been reopened and is granted. Service connection is also granted for sinusitis, bilateral lower extremity arthritis as secondary to service-connected disability, left upper extremity arthritis as secondary to service-connected disability, and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's service-connected non-allergic rhinitis has been rated as 10 percent disabling, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has remanded the claims due to a failure to issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) after additional development. The appellant is advised of all applicable rights and given an opportunity to respond.

The Board has granted service connection for CMC arthritis of the left thumb and sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise with respect to whether these conditions are related to active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a Decision Review Officer (DRO) hearing.

The Veteran's hypertension, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis claims have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7101 (hypertension) or service connection based on direct evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating of 30 percent is warranted for more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year with headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting.,The Veteran's hiatal hernia with reflux esophagitis is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating of 30 percent is warranted due to considerable impairment of health including persistent symptoms such as epigastric distress, pyrosis, and regurgitation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a lack of compliance with previous remand orders and for obtaining further medical records.

The Board found that the Veteran's death from lung cancer and COPD was not caused by or a result of his service-connected disabilities, nor were they attributable to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sinusitis warrants a 10 percent disability rating, reflecting three to four sinus attacks per year with chronic symptoms including frontal and maxillary sinus pain, nasal congestion, post-nasal drip, sore throat, coughing, watering eyes, occasional hoarseness, and intermittent headaches.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder other than COPD, finding that new and material evidence has been received. The appeal will now be considered on its merits.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining missing treatment records and clarifying the Veteran's claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions related to his active duty service.