Sinusitis decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to several service-connected disabilities, including left temporomandibular disorder (TMD), allergic rhinitis, tinnitus, and depressive disorder.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 10 percent rating for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, finding that there was no clear or material improvement in his condition.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, chronic sinusitis, erosion of posterior medial maxillary sinuses, and bilateral hearing loss are denied. The Board found the evidence did not support a service connection claim for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ankle disorder, sinusitis (secondary to nasal fracture), sleep apnea (secondary to nasal fracture), and left ankle disorder. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during or were related to service.

The Veteran's OSA and chronic sinusitis are granted separate ratings of 50 percent and 10 percent, respectively.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for sinusitis and upper respiratory infections due to errors in obtaining relevant records and providing adequate examination opinions.

The Board has dismissed all appeals for initial compensable ratings and service connection due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis on a presumptive basis as due to exposure to particulate matter is granted. The claims for service connection for sleep apnea, migraines, and sinusitis are dismissed.

The Board denied the appellant's request for additional attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a January 2023 rating decision, as the amount was correctly calculated prior to any retired military pay offset.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for chronic sinusitis, as it is secondary to asthma. The AOJ needs to obtain an opinion on whether the Veteran's sinusitis is at least as likely as not due to or caused by his service-connected asthma.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis are denied as there is no clear and unmistakable evidence of preexisting conditions, and any increase in disability during service was not due to aggravation.

The Board has granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis, finding that new evidence supports these claims under the PACT Act.

The Veteran's chest pain and dizziness are found to be related to his service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. Service connection is granted for these conditions, while diabetes and hypertension are denied as not being caused or aggravated by any service-connected disability. The sinus disability, to include sinusitis, is also denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of sinusitis is remanded. The motion to revise the September 28, 2009 rating decision due to CUE in relation to sinusitis is also remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the service connection for sinusitis, and as a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis, chronic maxillary and frontal sinusitis, and deviated nasal septum status post-surgical repair are granted. The conditions were found to have onset in or related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, sinusitis, bronchitis, and asthma have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability related to these conditions during or within one year after service. The VA examiners concluded that the claimed respiratory disorders are not related to service.

The Veteran's sinusitis is rated at a 10 percent disability rating, the minimum non-compensable level. The Board found that his symptoms did not meet criteria for higher ratings based on incapacitating episodes or chronic sinusitis following radical surgery.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and allergic rhinitis (previously diagnosed as sinusitis) due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between these conditions and military service, including exposure to environmental hazards.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis are being remanded due to discrepancies in the opinions provided by VA clinicians. Clarifying medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions clearly existed prior to service or were caused by an in-service event, injury, or illness.