Sinusitis decisions — 2024

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea and granted a 10 percent initial rating for allergic rhinitis, while remanding the claim for a compensable rating for sinusitis.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 10, 2013 for the addition of the Veteran's spouse as his dependent to his award of VA disability compensation. The issue of whether the debt in the amount of $19,696.58 was properly created and is valid remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis due to insufficient medical evidence in the record. The Veteran's lay statements regarding her symptoms during military service are considered, but a new opinion is needed from an appropriately qualified clinician.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for service-connected sinusitis is being remanded due to an inadequate VA examination report. The examiner did not consider recent diagnostic results and failed to address the imaging studies and nasal endoscopy performed in treatment of his chronic sinusitis.

Service connection for chronic rhinitis is granted due to the PACT Act. Service connection for chronic sinusitis is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for sinusitis and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's claim for sinusitis is denied, while his claim for sleep apnea is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum rating available under the applicable diagnostic code. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his symptoms are fully captured by this rating.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, diabetes mellitus II, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability have been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for allergic rhinitis/sinusitis has been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for hypertension and sleep apnea have been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.

The appeal for service connection of chronic sinusitis is dismissed as the condition was already established in a previous rating decision. The appeals for migraine headaches and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis and sinusitis are found to be etiologically related to active service, including exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis is not rated higher than noncompensable due to the absence of polyps or obstruction greater than 50 percent on both sides.

The Veteran's diagnosed chronic sinusitis is granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to fine particulate matter during his Southwest Asia service, and the PACT Act provides for this presumption.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, low back disorder, allergic rhinitis, and chronic bronchitis have all been denied.,There is no evidence of a current disability in any of these conditions. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection as there was no showing of a disease or injury during service, continuous symptoms since service, or a nexus to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome due to inadequate medical opinions regarding preexistence of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA under Chapter 35 were denied as the evidence does not support a finding that he was employed full-time prior to September 2, 2006.

The Veteran's claims for compensable disability ratings for allergic rhinitis, IBS with gastritis, migraine headaches, and thyroid disability have all been denied. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's service connection for chronic sinusitis is granted, and his initial rating in excess of 10 percent for emphysema and COPD is denied. The Veteran is granted TDIU prior to November 21, 2022, but the issue is dismissed as moot from that date onwards.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of sinusitis before the Board could make a decision. The appeal is therefore dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30 percent disability evaluation for chronic sinusitis was denied as the evidence did not show an increase in severity of symptoms prior to October 27, 2021.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the diagnosis of sinusitis. The Veteran's service connection claim for sinusitis is being reviewed again, and an addendum opinion will be required to determine if he has a diagnosis of sinusitis or if his symptoms are attributable to burn pit exposure.