Sinusitis decisions — 2023

The Veteran's psoriasis, right shoulder osteoarthritis, and sinusitis are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right shoulder condition (excluding osteoarthritis), to include tendinopathy and superior labral fraying, is remanded for further examination and opinion.,The Veteran's low back condition is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The appellant's exposure to herbicide agents is not established, so a medical opinion on early-onset presumptive service connection is needed.

The Veteran's sinusitis is granted service connection. His bilateral foot disability, including hallux valgus and plantar fasciitis, is not related to his service-connected knee disability or any other in-service injury. The cervical spine disability is denied as there is no nexus between the current condition and service. The upper extremity radiculopathy is also denied due to lack of a direct connection.

Service connection is granted for left ankle degenerative arthritis, right ankle degenerative arthritis, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and right knee degenerative arthritis.,Service connection is also granted for obstructive sleep apnea and Meniere's disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and bilateral pes planus due to insufficient evidence in the record. The AOJ is instructed to obtain updated VA examinations that consider all relevant medical history and the Veteran's testimony regarding his symptoms during service.

The Board has denied service connection for the claimed conditions of a left corneal abrasion, bilateral earache, rhinitis, sinusitis, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), and tinea versicolor with tinea pedis due to lack of current diagnoses.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for her increased ratings of chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, finding that no increase in disability was factually ascertainable during the one-year period prior to January 5, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion regarding whether cerebral atrophy is caused by or worsened by service-connected unspecified trauma and stress-related disorder with memory loss and/or service-connected migraine headaches.

The appeal of the service connection claim for kidney stones is dismissed.,The appeal of the service connection claim for sinusitis is dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to service connection and rating claims, including voiding dysfunction, allergic rhinitis, external hemorrhoids, nephrolithiasis, thoracolumbar spine disability, left hamstring disability, right hamstring disability, right shoulder disability, sinusitis, left lower extremity sciatica, and right lower extremity sciatica. The appeals were dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic sinusitis under the PACT Act, but remanded to obtain a new VA opinion on direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, bowel and gastrointestinal conditions, hepatitis C in remission, sinusitis, allergies (allergic rhinitis), skin disability (eczema, dermatitis, or lichen planus), unspecified joint pains, generalized degenerative arthritis, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, back disability, right lower extremity disability, left lower extremity disability, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, left wrist disability, and finger condition for further development.

The Veteran's pain disorder is rated at 50% prior to November 21, 2013 and denied for higher ratings. The initial rating for chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis was increased to 30% from May 10, 2023. The case is remanded for clarification on whether a separate rating for allergic rhinitis under DC 6522 has been assigned.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to maxillary sinusitis and allergic rhinitis. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a compensable rating for maxillary sinusitis prior to March 1, 2018 is being addressed, as well as his claim for increased disability ratings for both conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for chronic sinusitis associated with environmental toxin exposure is granted due to the PACT Act presumption of exposure.

The Veteran's neck disability and chronic sinusitis have been granted service connection. The gynecological disability claim is remanded due to new evidence.,Back and thyroid nodule claims are also remanded.

Graves' Disease, Hyperthyroidism, and Thyroid Disorder are denied as not related to service.,Left Ear Hearing Loss is denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis or relationship to service.,Allergic Rhinitis (Sinusitis) requires further examination for a determination on its relation to service.,Right Ankle Deltoid Ligament Sprain and Lateral Collateral Ligament Sprain are remanded as the etiology is unclear.,Left Ankle Deltoid Ligament Sprain and Lateral Collateral Ligament Sprain are also remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee and left hip disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations. Service connection for sinusitis is granted on a presumptive basis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her incapable of obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, as the evidence does not show that any single disability renders her unemployable.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for chronic sinusitis, residuals of a deviated septum with septoplasty prior to August 26, 2021, was denied as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.