Sinusitis decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for rhinitis and sinusitis due to inadequate medical opinion regarding herbicide exposure. A new examination is required to determine if the conditions are related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for finger pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a lung condition, and sinusitis due to lack of current disability. The claims for low back and bilateral shoulder conditions are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for restoration of a 50 percent rating for chronic sinusitis and entitlement to TDIU have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is granted an increased rating of 10 percent, but the effective date for this increase is denied. The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis does not meet the criteria for a prior effective date before August 1, 2020.

The Board has granted service connection for rhinitis (claimed as chronic sinusitis) and found that the Veteran's condition is etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis due to inadequate examination in August 2019. The Veteran's STRs show he had issues with his sinuses during service, and current VA records indicate ongoing problems. A new VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, sinusitis, and IBS have been granted. The claim for a back disability is remanded.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder and right knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis, chronic headaches, and a low back condition are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding potential exposure to toxic substances during service.

The Veteran's right ankle fracture is granted a 10% rating, but no more. Service connection for IBS and sinusitis are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (acquired psychiatric disorder, sinusitis maxillary with allergic rhinitis, and tinnitus) have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's TBI, benign essential tremor, complex partial seizure, headaches, other specified depressive disorder, and chronic maxillary sinusitis are all granted as service connected.,Service connection is established for these conditions on a direct basis for the TBI and secondary to it for the tremor, seizure, headache, and depressive disorders. Service connection is also granted for the sinusitis as secondary to facial fractures.

The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to a failure to address the issue of aggravation by the service-connected sinusitis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for sinusitis, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) due to the Veteran's service-connected Sinusitis/Rhinitis, finding a balance of positive and negative evidence in favor of this claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine his eligibility for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant based on his service-connected disabilities. The claims are also remanded to determine if his pansinusitis constitutes an inhalation injury.

The Veteran's pansinusitis including frontal sinusitis with headaches status post sinus surgery is currently rated at 30 percent and the claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeal includes issues related to service connection for angina, an earlier effective date for left ankle sprain, and a rating in excess of 10 percent. The claims for angina and migraines are remanded, while the claim for allergic rhinitis is also remanded.,An earlier effective date has been granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's combination of service-connected disabilities, including her acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral knee and ankle conditions, has rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board grants the TDIU claim for the entire appeal period.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for service connection of chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, sinusitis, a respiratory condition, sleep apnea, and migraines. The Board dismissed the appeal as per the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to an error in the November 2020 VA examination report, which did not account for a change in diagnosis from chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis to just allergic rhinitis. The Board requests an addendum or another examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's conditions without medication.