Sinusitis decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU for the period from June 1, 2011 to September 26, 2017.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD, MDD and substance abuse in full remission) due to new evidence showing a current diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder and substance abuse. The other conditions remain denied as there is no current medical evidence or credible supporting evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and left knee disability due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including a VA examination report. The claims will be reconsidered with consideration of this additional evidence.

The Board finds that remand is warranted due to the lack of a medical opinion addressing whether sleep apnea was directly incurred in service and because there are outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to determine if the Veteran's conditions are related to his service, specifically his in-service exposure to burn pits. The claims for service connection will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination regarding the Veteran's sinusitis. The Veteran must be provided with a new addendum opinion to determine if his diagnosed chronic pansinusitis is related to his service-connected asthma.

The Board denied service connection for a sinus disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of allergic rhinitis was not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left TMJ and sinusitis due to lack of STRs, need for VA examinations, and need to obtain post-service treatment records.

The Board has granted a separate 20 percent rating for hoarseness due to sinusitis on an extraschedular basis, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals.,No new and material evidence was received to reopen any of the previously denied claims.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension as secondary to the service-connected disabilities due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's obesity, caused by his service-connected disabilities, was a substantial factor in causing his hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his stroke residuals and diabetes, necessitate regular aid and attendance due to his inability to perform daily activities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral pes planus, dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, sinusitis, unexplained chronic multi-symptom illnesses (claimed as stomach/abdomen gastritis), and GERD. The issues are being referred back to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, anxiety disorder, sleep disorder, and memory problems. Service connection for sinusitis is also granted as secondary to the service-connected status-post thoracotomy. The appeal was reopened due to new evidence received since previous decisions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for left knee disability, left eye loss of vision, bilateral hearing loss disability, sinusitis and rhinitis, and hives in January 2017.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the claims for sinus condition and TBI are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess its severity, as there are conflicting medical opinions and the Veteran asserts worsening symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for cervical strain, left shoulder strain, left trapezius strain, degenerative disc disease (DDD), lumbar spine, generalized pain disorder, hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), acute sinusitis, and migraine headaches as the evidence did not support a nexus to service.,The Board found that there was no medical evidence showing a direct link between any of these conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to new evidence submitted, including a nexus opinion linking the condition to his deviated septum and chronic sinusitis. The claim for service connection for deviated septum has also been deferred.