Sinusitis decisions — 2019

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a head injury with residual chronic headaches is granted. The claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, thoracolumbar spine disorder, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, traumatic brain injury with residual headaches, and right knee disability are all remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied due to lack of evidence showing an increase in disability within one year prior to the filing of his intent to file a claim.,An earlier effective date was granted for the assignment of a separate rating for sinusitis, but not earlier than May 31, 2016.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should be afforded VA examinations to assess her claimed conditions, as she did not receive notification of the scheduled VA examinations. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, initial rating for sinusitis, and initial compensable rating for hypertension due to new evidence received since the last denial.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development of his chronic sinusitis claim.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 10 percent for depression of the nasofrontal area. The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of his sense of smell, deviated septum, and chronic sinusitis is remanded due to lack of a current VA examination. Service connection for multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities remains denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for neck disability, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), sinusitis, respiratory disability, and psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, have been dismissed. The VA has remanded the issues of service connection for sinusitis, respiratory disability, IBS, and PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sinusitis is related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected bronchial asthma with bronchitis. The Veteran will need to provide information about any healthcare providers who have treated him for sinusitis, and a VA examination will be conducted to determine if he has had sinusitis at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's hypertension and migraine headaches have been granted service connection.,Service connection for sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, and COPD is remanded due to lack of medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's asthma is granted as secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis, and he is awarded a 10 percent rating for sinusitis. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis did not begin in service and is not causally related to her service-connected right maxillary sinusitis with chronic rhinitis and headache. The Board also found that the sinusitis did not cause or worsen the sleep apnea.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea, low back disability, right foot and leg disabilities, PTSD, and sinusitis with headaches. The appeal was not timely filed.

The Board has granted service connection for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected status-post ruptured left anterior ethmoid with residual metal clip, epistaxis, sinusitis, headaches, and left nose and eyelid scar.

The Board has determined that additional medical examinations are needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions and to address his reports of flare-ups. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's sinusitis and rhinitis are currently rated as noncompensable. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a compensable rating for these conditions. For erectile dysfunction, the Board has determined that additional development is needed due to the lack of a VA examination addressing the secondary theory of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for osteoporosis of the bilateral upper extremities is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claims for left and right knee conditions are denied as he does not have a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claims for left and right ankle conditions are denied as he does not have a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim for temporal arteritis is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim for sinusitis is granted, with the condition beginning during his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of asthma, sinusitis, or allergic rhinitis related to service exposure. Service connection was granted for valvular heart disease with a staged rating from January 16, 2017. Increased ratings were denied for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, hypertension, and back disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), respiratory disorder (bronchitis), sinus disorder (sinusitis), and skin disorder (tinea versicolor, eczema) have been denied. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of tinea versicolor and eczema that is linked to his service exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic sinusitis, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including shoulder, elbow, neck, hip, left knee, right knee, left ankle, arm, leg, hand, sinusitis, heart, hypertension, stomach, cancer, foot, diabetes mellitus, brain injury, and seizure disability. The decision was based on the lack of competent evidence supporting these claims.,The Board also remanded service connection for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, respiratory disability, headache, earlier effective date for right ankle disability, and service connection for a disability of the hips.