Sinusitis decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for sinusitis, blepharitis, and vertigo due to insufficient medical opinions in the file. The Veteran must be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current ocular diagnoses are related to service or caused by any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a headache disability, toenail disability (left great toe), and shoulder disabilities (left and right) have been granted. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability. The claim for left ankle disability has been remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The claims for sinusitis and right wrist ganglion cyst removal are also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for nasal disability (chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis) as the Veteran's current symptoms are not related to his military service.

For the period from August 22, 2017, an increased evaluation of 10 percent for chronic sinusitis is granted.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disability claim remains on appeal as additional evidence is needed to determine if it is related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's chronic sinusitis is related to his military service, including exposure to cold weather and fumes in the motor pool.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for his acquired psychiatric condition, service connection for a right wrist condition, respiratory disorder, allergies, and gastrointestinal disorder. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to determine the current severity of his psychiatric disability, nature and etiology of his right wrist condition, respiratory and sinus conditions, and whether his ulcerative proctitis is related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD was not rated at the maximum 100% level due to less severe symptoms.,His sinusitis and rhinitis were remanded for further examination.

Service connection for itchy skin has been withdrawn.,Service connection for sleep apnea, sinusitis, and a respiratory condition have been granted. Service connection for a stomach condition is denied.

The Board has granted a compensable evaluation for the right shoulder scar and has remanded cases involving asthma and sinusitis or rhinitis due to lack of medical opinion on their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the cases of an ulcer disorder and chronic sinusitis due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to new and material evidence. The claims for bronchitis, acute chronic sinusitis, and acute chronic pharyngitis are denied as there is no evidence that these conditions began during service or are related to in-service events.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for dry eye syndrome due to insufficient medical evidence addressing whether his condition is related to burn pit exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for allergic rhinitis with sinusitis is granted. The Board found that the Veteran has a current disability of allergic rhinitis with sinusitis related to his active duty service and awarded service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for sinusitis and GERD have been withdrawn.,Service connection has not been granted for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, or lumbar spine with degenerative joint disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic sinusitis, finding no evidence of a current disability and concluding that there is insufficient medical evidence to support a diagnosis of sinusitis.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected sinusitis. The initial rating for maxillary and ethmoid sinusitis is also granted at a 30 percent level.

The Board has remanded the claims for ratings in excess of those assigned for a right hip disability and for service connection for a prostate condition. The claim for service connection for a prostate condition is not reopened, and the claim for increased ratings for the right hip disability is remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or sinusitis, and therefore denied service connection for these conditions. The left ankle disability claim is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder not otherwise specified with depressive disorder NOS (claimed as dysthymia and depression) associated with sinusitis is rated at 50 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board denied entitlement to an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further examination regarding his respiratory disorder, sleep apnea, headaches, sinusitis, rhinitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), conjunctivitis, fatigue, bilateral eye disorder, and reproductive organ disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent her from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.