Sinusitis decisions — 2017

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including multiple body traumas, hypertensive cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, emphysema, chronic pansinusitis, low back disorder, cardio-pulmonary disorder, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and osteoarthritis of the knees, right forearm, and right hand. The appeal was decided on the merits without any presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current chronic respiratory disorder related to his active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's emphysema and upper respiratory infections are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service. Sinusitis is not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, are not of such severity to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for plantar fasciitis and sphenoid sinusitis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of severe disability or chronic sinusitis warranting compensable ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing the Veteran with appropriate VA examinations to address his claims.

The Veteran's sinusitis has been evaluated as a direct service connection condition and is currently rated at 10 percent, which the Board finds to be appropriate based on his reported symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the relationship between his service-connected facial injury and his claimed sinus disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's restrictive lung disease and COPD are not related to his service or service-connected maxillary sinusitis, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the lack of access to his private medical records from Mid Carolina Cardiology. He was seeking payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred on July 28 and August 2, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's pansinusitis and deviated septum have been rated based on their respective manifestations. Prior to October 19, 2010, the Veteran was granted a 50 percent rating for pansinusitis. After October 19, 2010, he received a 50 percent rating for his deviated septum.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis, as well as his other issues. The decision concluded that there was no evidence of a current disability in service or within one year after service separation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, arthritis of the entire body, and peripheral neuropathy have been denied. The validity of a March 2007 notice of disagreement on VA Form 21-4138 was not established. The claim for reopening the previously denied peripheral neuropathy has been granted.

The Veteran's sinusitis with associated congestion and intermittent chest pain was rated at 30 percent effective December 15, 2015.,The Veteran's allergic rhinitis was rated at 10 percent effective February 23, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic sinusitis was not caused or aggravated by his active service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development, including obtaining an updated VA examination and addressing the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for sinusitis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee, and chronic sinusitis were denied as there is no evidence of one or two incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment, or three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting.