Sinusitis decisions — 2020

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for loss of balance, poor vision, sinusitis, degenerative arthritis of the right hand, right hand nerve damage, hypertension, and sleep apnea due to PTSD have been granted. His claim for an increased rating for PTSD has also been granted.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted service connection. The Veteran's type two diabetes mellitus, bilateral open angle glaucoma, and tinnitus are not granted increased ratings. The Veteran's sinusitis, tonsillectomy residuals, right wrist Dequervain's syndrome, right ring finger fracture, erectile dysfunction, and right epididymitis status post epididymectomy do not warrant increased ratings. A TDIU is granted from October 1, 2007 to February 28, 2013, and from January 22, 2018 on.

The Veteran's service connection claim for chronic sinusitis is granted.,Service connection for COPD and heart valve replacement, both claimed as due to asbestos exposure, is remanded.

The Board has decided that further development is needed to determine if the Veteran's respiratory disability, including sinusitis, is related to service. The issue of TDIU prior to October 20, 2016, is also remanded due to its inextricability with the service connection claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to an incomplete record from his VA medical treatment records. The AOJ must attempt to obtain these records or make a formal finding of unavailability.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis and sinusitis have been granted service connection with respective ratings of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis and 30 percent for sinusitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and an increased rating for hypertension. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of sinusitis, as he only has allergic rhinitis which was already service-connected. For his hypertension, the Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a 20% rating under Code 7101.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inconsistencies in the evidence and need for clarification regarding the severity of his service-connected degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for respiratory conditions, including as due to exposure to herbicide agents, and an acquired psychiatric disorder were denied. The Board found no evidence linking the claimed conditions to active duty service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and other respiratory disabilities, including exposure to asbestos in service. The Veteran must be afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his respiratory disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided that service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the issue of service connection for sinusitis is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents and to obtain his complete service personnel records. The issues of service connection for various disabilities, including skin cancer, back cancer, back pain and thoracic fracture, gastroenteritis, bladder cancer, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, left hip disorder, osteoporosis, peptic ulcer, right foot vascular disorder, and sinusitis are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition to include sinusitis and bronchitis, finding that his current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned to VA for these purposes.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate April 2016 VA examination report and a need for additional evidence, including medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case for further appellate proceedings due to errors in the earlier effective date determinations for Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits and Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis was initially rated as noncompensable prior to January 5, 2017. From January 5, 2017 to June 26, 2018, he received a 10% disability evaluation for his condition. The effective date of this increased rating is now set at June 26, 2018.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and left elbow disability, but has remanded the claim for service connection of the left ankle condition.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and costochondritis (claimed as chest pain), both determined to be directly related to the Veteran's active duty service from 2008 to 2012.