Sinusitis decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, left hip disorder, low back disorder, and right shoulder disorder have been granted. The claim for gastritis with mild duodenitis is remanded.,Service connection has been established for sinusitis.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for pancreatic mass, as secondary to service-connected asbestosis with asthma and chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia recurrent have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety) has been remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sinusitis has also been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted.,Service connection for sinusitis, claimed as sinusitis, has also been granted.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and SMC were denied. The RO granted service connection for depressive disorder, GERD, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension with specific effective dates.

The Veteran's claims for tinea cruris, tinea pedis, tinea versicolor and onychomycosis were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus to service. The claim for MDD was granted due to its relationship with service-connected hypertension and erectile dysfunction.,The claims for tension headaches, GERD, and OSA were all granted as secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected sinusitis, status post-broken nose, was granted a 50% rating effective October 7, 2016.,Service connection for a bilateral knee disability was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete STRs and insufficient medical opinions. The issues include sinusitis, neck disorder, back disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, bilateral eye disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, heart disability (coronary atherosclerosis), left ankle disorder, and left foot disorder.

The Board denied service connection for fungal sinusitis with nasal polyps, finding no evidence linking the condition to military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for mixed headache disorder, sinusitis, sleep apnea, left knee condition, right knee condition, and back condition are remanded due to issues with hearing scheduling and need for additional medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for allergic rhinitis with chronic sinusitis and fatigue, claimed as due to an undiagnosed illness and/or medically unexplained chronic multisystem illness. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and insufficient medical evidence. The claims will be reviewed with additional information from the Veteran and further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a TDIU rating prior to August 7, 2013 and SMC from August 7, 2013 due to the need for further development of the record. The issues are related as they both involve service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ruptured right eardrum has been granted. The claims for service connection for headaches and allergic rhinitis are remanded.

The Board has granted a compensable rating of 10% for the Veteran's allergic rhinitis with associated permanent hypertrophy of nasal turbinates, finding that greater than 50 percent obstruction of nasal passages on both sides is present.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to incomplete medical records, specifically a June 2017 hospitalization for sinusitis at an unspecified facility. The Board requests that the VA obtain these records and any private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any chronic sinusitis, including whether it is related to in-service injury or disease, or aggravated by service-connected sleep apnea.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chronic sinusitis, right knee PFS, and left knee PFS. The case is remanded to obtain addendum opinions regarding whether kidney stones and bronchitis are related to service.

The Veteran's asthma, right maxillary cyst with sinusitis, and sleep apnea are all found to be related to his service. The Board granted the claims for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases of residuals of nose fracture, sinusitis with headaches, and allergic rhinitis due to inadequate examinations. The Veteran needs another VA examination to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hand tremors, migraine headaches, right knee disability, and sinusitis due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.