Sinusitis decisions — 2024

The Board denied service connection for costochondritis, rhinitis, back pain, a deviated septum (residuals of a broken nose), diverticulitis status-post surgeries, hemorrhoids, and hypertension as there was not evidence of current disabilities or sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the claimed conditions and active duty.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for sinusitis due to concurrent appeals.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are being remanded due to errors in the duty to assist and regulatory requirements. The Board finds that additional development is needed, particularly regarding medical opinions related to exposure to burn pits.

The Veteran's sinusitis and allergic rhinitis are granted service connection due to presumed exposure to fine particulate matter during his Gulf War service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and allergic rhinitis due to service connection as secondary to a service-connected right shoulder disability. The VA will provide new medical opinions on these issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder, asthma, GERD, sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis as there is no probative evidence of current disabilities at any time proximate to or during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied, while his claim for hemorrhoids as secondary to hypertension was granted. The Veteran received a 10 percent increased rating for sinusitis but the request for a higher rating in excess of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea with asthma was denied.

The Veteran's initial rating for chronic sinusitis is granted at a 10% level, but no higher. Service connection for rhinitis is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have sinusitis or any related disability during his service period, and thus cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The appeal for service connection for high cholesterol was dismissed, and the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, eye disorder (to include glaucoma), diabetes, hypertension, anemia, sinusitis, headache disorder, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right wrist disability, and left wrist disability were denied. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was reopened based on new evidence.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a right foot disability, left foot disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, neck disability, sinusitis, and type II diabetes mellitus, to obtain private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. New VA opinions are needed to address the Veteran's contention that his exposure to elements in service caused his disabilities.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 19, 2022 for SMC and SMC (p) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The Veteran is also entitled to a higher rate of SMC benefits at the P-2 level due to additional independent service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for allergic rhinitis was denied, and his service connection claim for sinusitis was granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete medical records and inadequate VA examination for asthma. The claim will be reconsidered with the addition of private treatment records and a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis due to a lack of entrance examination records from his second period of active service. The Veteran asserts that he had pre-existing conditions aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than August 5, 2021, for the grant of service connection for sinusitis is granted. The effective date will be set at November 1, 2009.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's chronic sinusitis warrants a rating of 30 percent, but not higher. The left knee instability and meniscal tear issues are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's left arm burn is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or aggravation.,Sarcoidosis and respiratory conditions are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's sinusitis rating from 50 percent to 10 percent was improper, and the rating is restored.