Sinusitis decisions — 2024

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability evaluations for chronic right maxillary sinusitis and dry eyes syndrome, finding that the reduction was not proper due to lack of improvement in symptoms.

The Board has remanded the cases of headaches and chronic sinusitis due to insufficient opinions in the original decision. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are being reviewed again with additional medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the AOJ committed pre-decisional errors and has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee disability, chronic sinusitis (claimed as allergies), right shoulder strain, and left shoulder impingement due to potential errors in addressing theories of service connection.

The Veteran's initial maximum schedular rating of 10 percent for status post bunionectomy, right foot, is granted. Other service-connected conditions are not rated higher.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, granting a higher rating than the initial 30 percent. Service connection for chronic sinusitis and restless leg syndrome of both legs has been granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus is service connected. The other claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for peripheral neuropathy, skin disease, nasal disability, respiratory disability, and headaches have all been granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Veteran's application for Legacy S-DVI was denied because it was received more than two years after the August 1997 grant of service connection, and there is no evidence suggesting mental incompetence during that period.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for sinusitis has been dismissed as he withdrew his request from the hearing.

The appeal is dismissed because the Veteran did not identify a valid rating decision to disagree with, and his claims for service connection are not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and irritable bowel syndrome, finding that the Veteran's conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including adjustment disorder, prostate cancer residuals, degenerative joint disease, sinusitis, right foot sprain residuals, left knee strain, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, and asthma, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU due to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted with an effective date of May 10, 2019. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and asthma were granted under the PACT Act with effective dates of August 10, 2022. An initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected Generalized Anxiety Disorder, combined with other service-connected disabilities, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of May 1, 2018. The Board granted an effective date of May 1, 2018 for the award of TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic bronchitis with bronchiectasis and CRPS as secondary to his service-connected sinusitis are granted. However, the claim for an initial disability rating higher than 10 percent for coronary artery disease (CAD) is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, chronic adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis on a direct basis due to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's sinusitis claim is denied as it did not cause incapacitating or non-incapacitating episodes.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is granted due to in-service hazardous noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing has been granted.,Effective dates have been established for SMC based on housebound criteria, loss of use of a creative organ, service connection for BPPV, asthma, chronic sinusitis, TMJ syndrome with bruxism, and migraine including migraine variants.

Service connection is granted for a respiratory disorder, including sinusitis and allergic rhinitis.,Service connection is granted for atrophy of the testes. The Veteran's infertility due to service-connected condition has been confirmed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability other than bronchiectasis, to include sinusitis and rhinitis, is remanded due to inadequate pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. A new VA examination is required.