Sinusitis decisions — 2025

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and headaches have been granted service connection. The remaining issues of sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, anemia, hysterectomy, hysterectomy surgery scars, insomnia (secondary to tinnitus), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (secondary to tinnitus) are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, as well as hypertension. The issues of service connection for headaches are also inextricably intertwined with the sinusitis case.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities were found to prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, so he was granted an extraschedular total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective January 26, 2010.

The Board remanded the claim for service connection for rhinitis to obtain a new VA examination and medical opinion, considering the Veteran's deployment to Afghanistan and potential exposure to particulate matter.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis because the evidence did not show that the veteran had symptoms attributable to sinusitis during the pendency of the claim.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis was denied because the evidence did not show sufficient functional impairment.

The Board granted the veteran's appeal and restored the 50 percent evaluation for sinusitis effective May 12, 2023.

The appeal for allergic rhinitis was dismissed. Service connection for hepatitis C, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea was denied. The rating reduction for basal cell carcinoma was upheld. The issue of service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease was remanded.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder was granted. The claim for sleep apnea was denied. Claims for migraines, asthma, sinusitis, and rhinitis were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher disability rating for allergic rhinitis and service connection for deviated septum and nasal polyps.

The appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an initial compensable evaluation for sinusitis were dismissed because there are no remaining issues to be adjudicated.

The Board remanded the claim for service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to recurrent sinusitis. The Veteran's case will be reviewed again with new medical opinions.

The veteran's request for a higher rating for intervertebral disc syndrome, degenerative disc disease, and lumbosacral strain was denied. Service connection for Meniere's disease and sinusitis was also denied. Other issues were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for both bilateral hearing loss and sinusitis, stating that the evidence does not support a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for left upper extremity radiculopathy, allergic rhinitis, and chronic bronchitis. The veteran was assigned a 20% rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy but did not meet criteria for higher ratings.

The veteran was granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD and a rating of 20 percent for left knee laxity/instability. All other issues were denied or remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for allergic rhinitis and an earlier effective date for tinnitus.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, back disorder, right and left knee disorders, right and left shoulder disorders, right leg disorder other than a right knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, allergic rhinitis, asthma, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction were granted and remanded. The claims for right and left wrist disorders were dismissed.

Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and scrotal pain is denied. Other issues are remanded.

The Board granted restoration of service connection for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, effective November 1, 2022. Basic eligibility for DEA benefits was also restored.