Sinusitis decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, headaches, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension. However, it granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome and hypothyroidism.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for rhinitis and sinusitis, and remanded the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board denied a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis and remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition.

The Board granted an initial 30 percent rating for chronic sinusitis, but no higher, from June 13, 2018.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for service-connected hypertension and remanded the issues of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for rhinitis, service connection for fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, and a compensable rating for sinusitis. However, the Veteran was granted a 30 percent disability rating for sinus headaches.

The Board denied the Veteran's attempts to appeal a rating decision from September 13, 2022, that denied higher ratings for other specified anxiety disorder and sinusitis due to untimeliness of the appeals.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbosacral strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability, and for chronic headaches. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, a disorder associated with interpersonally aggressive behavior such as intermittent explosive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an increased rating for unspecified anxiety disorder, and an increased rating for the right ankle disability were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for deviated nasal septum with allergic rhinitis, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board granted service connection for right wrist strain, testicular pain, TMJ with bruxism, and erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD), while denying increased ratings for PTSD, left wrist strain, abdominal scarring status post appendectomy, chronic sinusitis, IBS, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board also granted special monthly compensation based on the loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board denied service connection for a deviated nasal septum and denied increased ratings for the back, right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy. The Board also denied earlier effective dates for chronic sinusitis and an increased rating for the back disability.

The Board granted service connection for chronic sinusitis based on presumptive exposure to fine particulate matter under 38 C.F.R. § 3.320, as the Veteran's condition manifested within ten years following his deployment in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of service connection for PTSD and erectile dysfunction, dismissed the claim for dyshidrotic eczema and tinea pedis, and granted service connection for various other conditions including lumbar degenerative arthritis with IVDS, right and left lower extremity radiculopathies, right and left knee degenerative arthritis, chronic rhinitis, tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's GERD to include gastric ulcer is granted a 20 percent rating, while other claims for service connection and an initial compensable rating for sinusitis are denied.

The Board denied service connection for chronic allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, and chronic fatigue syndrome as the evidence did not support a current disability.

The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The claims for increased ratings for rhinitis, right shoulder scar, left shoulder strain, and right shoulder impingement syndrome were denied. The claims for service connection for foot disability, sleep apnea, GERD, and an increased rating for cervical strain were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for migraines as secondary to the Veteran's cervical spine disability and chronic sinusitis prior to August 10, 2022 due to toxic exposure risk activities during service.

The Board granted an increased initial rating of 10 percent for dyspnea and denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for rhinitis. The claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability were remanded.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent for headaches with light sensitivity, denied a compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis, and granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD.

The Board dismissed the issues of entitlement to an increased evaluation for GERD and service connection for insomnia, as the Veteran had a concurrent Higher-Level Review (HLR) request pending. The Board remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and rhinitis.