Sinusitis decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral ear barotrauma, cerebral infarction, and others, are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The issues have not been rated or assigned a disability rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for gouty arthritis of the left and right knees and low back, as well as service connection for a gastrointestinal disability (claimed as gastritis), to include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to be related to his service-connected sinusitis and rhinitis, thus service connection for sleep apnea on a secondary basis is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to comply with a previous directive regarding exposure to asbestos and lead during service. The Veteran's MOS was as an operations specialist and anti-submarine air controller, and he reported exposure to lead paint, floor tiling disturbances, and removing and replacing lagging around pipes on bulkheads and in berthing areas.

The Board has remanded the claim for a respiratory condition, including sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and sleep apnea, to include as secondary to service-connected disability. The Veteran's allergies are presumed to have pre-existed his enlistment in the Air Force.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for GERD, a skin disability, sinusitis, and heart disability due to presumed exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 40 percent effective December 13, 2011. A rating in excess of 40 percent for the period prior to December 11, 2019, was dismissed. The Veteran's right lower extremity neuropathy has been granted a 20 percent rating since September 24, 2020. Service connection for bilateral pes planus is denied as it did not occur within one year of service. Chronic sinusitis and right ear hearing loss are presumed to be related to military service. The Veteran's left hip, right hip, left knee, right knee, and left ankle disabilities were all denied. Bronchitis was granted effective August 10, 2022 (PACT Act). TDIU is granted effective November 20, 2012.

The Veteran's claims of service connection and initial ratings for sinusitis, left foot plantar fasciitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional records.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for chronic sinusitis, including as due to Gulf War illness, due to inadequate examination and insufficient reasons provided in the previous decision.

The Board denied service connection for lower back disorder, sinusitis, rhinitis, hepatitis C, and traumatic brain injury as there was no evidence of a current disability or causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for a higher level of SMC based on need for aid and attendance, as he is already receiving SMC at the (l) rate.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received since the August 2020 Supplemental Statement of the Case, and for clarification on whether sleep apnea was aggravated by service-connected allergic rhinitis with chronic sinusitis.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for sinusitis prior to November 12, 2019, and an evaluation in excess of 10 percent thereafter was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating before November 12, 2019, or a rating in excess of 10 percent after that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a sinus condition and his request for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support current diagnoses of a sinus-related condition or other service-connected disabilities that would allow for a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, sinusitis, and an autoimmune condition (claimed as fibromyalgia) due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's asthma is granted at a 30 percent rating from April 9, 2019. The decision denies compensable ratings for sinusitis and remands the issues of service connection for headaches and urinary incontinence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for sleep apnea and nasal disability, to include sinusitis and/or allergic rhinitis, have been granted.,Other service connection claims are being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with previous Board directives.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sinusitis and headaches, as these conditions are found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected residuals of fractured mandible and maxilla.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left upper extremity disability, left knee disability, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to insufficient evidence of improvement in his conditions under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board has withdrawn the claims for service connection for a deviated nasal septum and rhinitis or sinusitis disability. The claim for service connection for an edema disability is remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.