Sinusitis decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for back, bilateral pes planus, skin, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence or conflicting opinions.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to provide the Veteran with an adequate VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed chronic sinusitis, taking into account the entirety of the record.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sinusitis, which may be related to his in-service facial injury.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder, NOS; entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease, bilateral knees; and entitlement to an initial compensable rating for sinusitis prior to October 29, 2014, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's headaches, aneurysms of the brain, hearing loss, sinusitis, and rhinitis are being remanded for further development due to conflicting evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the Veteran's claims for right foot disability, left foot disability, sinusitis, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's maxillary sinusitis and allergic rhinitis are rated as non-compensably disabling prior to December 29, 2017 and 30 percent disabling thereafter.,An initial 30 percent rating for residuals of a pulmonary embolism is granted effective from December 29, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings prior to June 25, 2018 was denied for his service-connected lumbar spine disability, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis.,No new evidence or changes in the Veteran's conditions were presented that would warrant a different outcome.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, left shoulder, bilateral foot, obstructive sleep apnea, sinusitis, and asthma disabilities due to additional evidentiary development being necessary.

The Board has granted a 30% rating for chronic sinusitis, but has remanded the issue of service connection for TBI residuals due to a duty to assist error.

Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and sinusitis is granted.,Increased disability ratings are granted for right knee instability, left knee instability, and left knee degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's tinnitus, obesity, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The sinusitis and allergic rhinitis have not been evaluated due to the lack of a VA examination.,Service connection for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension has been reopened, but the preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that his current diagnosis was incurred in or aggravated by active service. The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is not manifested by polyps or greater than 50 percent obstruction of a nasal passage and thus does not warrant an increased rating.

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

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings for psychiatric disability, sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and considering her argument regarding a separate rating under Diagnostic Code 6514.

The Veteran's appeal is denied for various issues including service connection, effective dates, and TDIU. The hearing loss rating remains denied, as does the breathing problems claim.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected sinusitis.