Sinusitis decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for migraine headaches, sinusitis, and a sleep disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including schizoaffective disorder and migraine headaches, have met the percentage requirements for a TDIU from January 15, 2008 to August 31, 2015. The evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether her service-connected psychiatric disorders prevented her from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including verification of her Reserve Service and treatment records, as well as verification of in-service stressors. The Veteran will be afforded examinations to assess her sinusitis, psychiatric disorder, and sleep disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and determining if additional development is needed. The TDIU claim will be reconsidered based on this new information.

The Veteran's maxillary/frontal sinusitis, cervical spine disability, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy are service-connected. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not service-connected, but his left ear hearing loss is service-connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and/or rhinitis, as well as secondary service connection for sleep apnea to sinusitis/rhinitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of sinusitis or headaches, and therefore service connection is denied for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for glaucoma, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bilateral knee arthritis and rheumatism, heart disability, and sinusitis are denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or a relationship to service.,The Veteran's current hypertension condition is not related to his service. The Board finds that the weight of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current heart conditions (coronary artery disease and hypertensive cardiovascular disease) are related to service.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus claim is denied as there is no in-service incurrence or relationship to service. Additionally, he is not entitled to presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure.,Bilateral knee arthritis and rheumatism claims are denied as the Veteran did not have an in-service injury or disease that would support a grant of service connection. The Board also finds no evidence of continuity of symptomatology between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's heart disability (coronary artery disease and hypertensive cardiovascular disease) claim is denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or relationship to service. Additionally, the weight of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's sinusitis claim is granted as it is secondary to his service-connected rhinitis.

The Veteran's tinnitus and right ear hearing loss have been rated at the minimum levels allowed by VA regulations. The RO denied his increased rating requests for both conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral maxillary and ethmoid sinusitis has not been productive of three or more incapacitating episodes per year requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment, nor more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge. The Veteran's thoracic spine dextroscoliosis with lumbar spine levoscoliosis disability is productive of at least painful motion since the effective date of service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and scheduling a VA examination to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis has been rated as 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that he is entitled to a higher evaluation due to more than six non-incapacitating episodes of sinusitis per year.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current epigastric disorder, vision loss, eye disorder, skin rash, residuals of head trauma, hammertoes, sinusitis, cervical spondylosis or headache disorder that is attributable to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of her claim for allergic rhinitis and recurrent sinusitis. The Board finds that a VA examination is warranted to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining post-service medical records and scheduling VA examinations to evaluate the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a scheduled hearing, and the Veteran's testimony may be relevant to his claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and gastroenteritis were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The Veteran was found to have bilateral hearing loss during service, which meets the criteria for service connection under VA regulations.,Tinnitus was established based on the Veteran's credible contentions that he has had this condition since service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for chronic sinusitis with residuals of chronic and persistent rhinorrhea has been dismissed as the Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal.

The Board has reopened the claims for left knee disability, tinnitus, and obstructive sleep apnea. The claim of bilateral hearing loss remains denied as new evidence does not show a current disability for VA purposes. The Veteran's eye condition (glaucoma) is also being remanded for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected rhinitis and sinusitis, and thus grants service connection for this condition.