Sinusitis decisions — 2024

The appeal for service connection for allergic rhinitis is dismissed. Service connection for a skin condition is granted.

The Veteran's initial compensable ratings for chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis are denied.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for dizziness and headaches, as these conditions may be secondary to his chronic sinusitis.

The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis and headaches, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions. The Veteran's bilateral foot disorder claim is remanded due to a lack of examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for rhinitis, sinusitis, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to rhinitis and/or sinusitis due to a duty to assist error. The evidence is insufficient to decide these claims without an examination and medical opinion.

The Board has denied service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, GERD, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and plantar fasciitis. The issues of right hip disability and skin disability are remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has remanded the claims for sinusitis, asthma, and rhinitis as there are issues with the medical opinions provided by VA regarding whether these conditions pre-existed service or were aggravated during service.

The Veteran's initial compensable ratings for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis have been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA disability rating criteria.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial disability rating for allergic rhinitis was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the July 2022 VA opinion regarding whether he has current hypertension related to service.,The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of hypothermia, bilateral lower extremities (BLE hypothermia) is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the July 2022 VA examination report regarding whether his symptoms are related to service.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the July 2022 VA examination report regarding all of his reported symptoms and their impact on daily life.,The Veteran's service connection claim for chest pain with palpitations is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the July 2022 VA opinion regarding whether his current condition is related to service.,The Veteran's service connection claim for left ankle condition is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the July 2022 VA examination report regarding all of his reported symptoms and their impact on daily life.,The Veteran's service connection claim for right ankle condition is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the July 2022 VA examination report regarding all of his reported symptoms and their impact on daily life.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for tension headaches is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the July 2022 VA examination report regarding all of his reported symptoms and their impact on daily life.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error in failing to provide an adequate examination for the claim of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of chronic kidney disease secondary to sinusitis and an earlier effective date prior to February 25, 2020 for a 50 percent evaluation of frontal sinusitis.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction have been granted. The claims are based on the PACT Act presumption of exposure to toxins.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no medical evidence showing a nexus between the condition and her military service.,Service connection for chronic sinusitis was also denied due to lack of current diagnosis. The Veteran did not have symptoms that meet the criteria for chronic sinusitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability other than allergic rhinitis, including sinusitis, COPD, and emphysema. The issues of service connection for a skin disability and TDIU prior to September 15, 2017 are also pending.

The Veteran's claims for sinusitis, headaches, and ear pain secondary to service-connected deviated nasal septum have been granted.,However, the claim for ear pain remains denied.

The Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis is not rated higher than noncompensable, as the evidence does not show more than 50% obstruction of nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side.,The Veteran's service-connected chronic sinusitis with neoplasms is also not rated higher than noncompensable, as there were no incapacitating episodes requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment in the past year.

The Veteran's GERD and sinusitis have been granted increased ratings of 30 percent each, effective from the date of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected sinusitis is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of a compensable evaluation prior to February 9, 2022, or an evaluation in excess of 10 percent thereafter. A remand is ordered to develop and adjudicate the Veteran's claim of secondary service connection for sleep apnea.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal before the Board could make a decision on her service connection claims for allergic or vasomotor rhinitis and chronic sinusitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for breathing problems or other respiratory condition (other than sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and obstructive sleep apnea) due to lack of a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis was denied initially in December 2014. She filed a Supplemental Claim in April 2022 and received service connection effective August 5, 2021 due to the liberalizing law. The Board found no legal basis to assign an earlier effective date.