Sinusitis decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for unspecified depressive disorder and a higher rating for asthma and COPD was denied. Service connection for sinusitis is also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error and an inadequate VA opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed chronic sinusitis.

The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis, right hand strain, left hand strain, right knee strain, and left knee strain. The issue of service connection for asthma is remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to new evidence and outstanding records. The claims for right ankle, left ankle, right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, weakness and lack of coordination of legs, radiculopathy of lower extremity, PTSD with dissociative symptoms and derealization, allergic rhinitis, headache disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, respiratory disability, cervical spine disability, tremors of hands, and costochondritis are being remanded for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis and remanded the issue of service connection for allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (asthma, sinusitis, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease) have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for Coccidioides (Valley Fever) and sinusitis, as well as a compensable rating for his sinusitis. The effective date issue is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right knee disability, low back disability, left foot disability, bronchitis, sinusitis, and headache. The case is returned to the AOJ for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis and PTSD. The VA must obtain an addendum medical opinion addressing these issues.

The Board has decided to remand multiple claims for further development due to a significant gap in the record and the need to obtain updated VA medical records. The Veteran is also asked to provide any private treatment records he may have.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and respiratory disorder (sinusitis) due to incomplete development of evidence, including lack of STRs and VA examination reports. The Veteran is asked to provide additional information and authorize VA to obtain relevant records.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches are granted at a rating of 60 percent, effective from October 2008. The Board also found that her facial rash disorder is related to military service and granted service connection for it.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for allergic rhinitis and sinusitis were denied, while the claim for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed due to failure to report for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating, service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, xerostomia (dry mouth), and missing teeth and dental caries are remanded due to the need for additional development of the record.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for respiratory disability, specifically sinusitis, as there was no evidence of a nasal fracture during service and the current condition is not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for asthma, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral hearing loss as the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or a link to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for pes planus, left wrist disability, sinusitis, residuals of umbilical hernia repair, DM, asthma, OSA and hypertension have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims.,The Veteran's bilateral knee arthritis has been rated at 10 percent since November 2007. The claim for a higher rating remains denied.

The Veteran is granted a 30% rating for chronic sinusitis, which includes more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year characterized by headaches, pain, discharge and crusting.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation, and the claim for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left shoulder strain and sinusitis are granted. The Board found that these conditions had their onset during active duty service.