Sinusitis decisions — 2021

The Veteran's current sinusitis and rhinitis were not found to be related to his service, including exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left lower extremity disabilities have resulted in permanent loss of use of both feet, qualifying him for financial assistance to purchase an automobile or adaptive equipment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically regarding the cause of death and whether service-connected coronary artery disease contributed to or aggravated non-service-connected lung cancer.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria and he was gainfully employed throughout the relevant period.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination for sinusitis.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, but the remaining issues have been remanded due to new evidence and development needs.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis, including residuals of a turbinate resection, is granted. The Board also remanded the issue of essential tremors due to inadequate examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to potential eligibility for SMC under certain criteria. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are being evaluated in detail.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from October 1, 2017, but no earlier. The Board found that his service-connected disabilities have precluded all substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's sleep apnea may be related to his service-connected rhinitis and sinusitis, but more evidence is needed for a definitive determination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating increases have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis, right knee disability, and bilateral ankle disability due to lack of credible evidence linking the conditions to active military service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to issues with the initial determinations and a need for further development, including obtaining medical records from VA partnership programs. The Veteran's PTSD case is remanded for a new examination to assess suicidal ideation and its impact on his social and occupational functioning. His hearing loss claim requires clarification of evidence meeting VA standards for hearing loss diagnosis. And his sinusitis case needs a new examination to determine if he has headaches related to the condition.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a nasal fracture, including deviated septum and chronic sinusitis, is granted. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to the nasal fracture is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and consideration of his increased severity claims. The issues include ratings for chronic sinusitis, rhinitis, sleep apnea, lumbar strain and discogenic disease, lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee meniscectomy residuals with degenerative joint disease (DJD), left knee instability, and TDIU.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and service connection have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeals.,The Board has also remanded several issues, including an evaluation for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, a compensable evaluation for left testicular varicocele with right testicular pain and tenderness, an evaluation for restless leg syndrome, and service connection for a traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis, sinusitis, complete loss of sense of smell, periodontal disease, ABPA, and asthma have been dismissed as the claim for bronchitis was granted in a prior decision. The remaining claims are granted due to presumed exposure to particulate matter during service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection or disability ratings have been dismissed as she has withdrawn her appeal in its entirety.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records and requests for additional development, including an estimate of flexion range from a private treatment record.