Sinusitis decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed. The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy on a secondary basis to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for dry eye syndrome and sinusitis are granted. The claim for residual nephrolithiasis with chronic urinary tract infection is denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and insomnia are all granted as secondary to service-connected conditions. The claim for anxiety disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service or pain from service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess the severity of her left knee disability. The maximum schedular rating for sinusitis has already been assigned, and thus a higher rating is not available.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for her right shoulder, left shoulder, rhinitis, sinusitis, and painful C-section scar conditions. The claims are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for alcohol use disorder, chronic sinusitis, and chronic headaches have been denied. The Board has remanded the claim for gastrointestinal disorders (including chronic gastritis and diverticulosis).,Service connection is not granted for alcohol use disorder as it cannot be established on a direct basis due to preclusion by law. Service connection is also not granted for chronic sinusitis or chronic headaches, as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted service connection, and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee disability is denied. Other service connection claims are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disorder, including sinusitis and asthma, finding no clear and unmistakable evidence of a preexisting condition at induction. The Veteran's current mild asthma is not considered to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure. However, his bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations.,The Board has found that there was no substantial compliance with prior remand directives regarding joint conditions and vertigo.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, except for a grant of a disability rating of 70 percent for depressive disorder. The other conditions and disabilities were not found to be related to service or warrant a higher rating.

The appeal for service connection for a neck disorder is dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for bronchitis and sinusitis.,Other claims have been denied or are pending, including those related to the Veteran's arms and wrists.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis, effective November 13, 2006, due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a throat disability and gastrointestinal disability, both claimed as resulting from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran's service medical records show multiple instances of gastroenteritis and sore throats, but no definitive diagnosis or treatment for these conditions.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radicular pain or paresthesia, as well as his neurogenic erectile dysfunction (ED), are considered secondary to his low back disability. The Veteran is currently rated at the minimum evaluation for an individual with a history of diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more who requires continuous medication for control.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for chronic sinusitis was denied. Claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, a chronic disability manifested by hemoccult positive stools, an acquired psychiatric disability (likely PTSD), and chronic insomnia were also denied.

The Veteran's right ankle degenerative arthritis is rated at a maximum of 20 percent.,Throughout the period prior to August 15, 2013, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.,Financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment is denied due to the Veteran's ability to drive and ambulate despite his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that is related to his military service.,The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and foot/ankle disabilities, as well as sinusitis due to insufficient medical opinions provided in previous examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the identification of outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected rhinosinusitis, sleep apnea, and asthma have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his functional limitations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (dysthymic disorder and PTSD) as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.