Sinusitis Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for allergic rhinitis, effective August 10, 2022, under the PACT Act of 2022, due to presumed exposure to burn pits during active duty in Southwest Asia. The claim for direct service connection prior to this date was remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for sinusitis and right ankle condition due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis, both considered chronic diseases due to particulate matter exposure from the Veteran's service in Southwest Asia. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea was remanded for further development.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 30 percent for chronic sinusitis based on the Veteran experiencing more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for sinusitis as there were no findings of one or more incapacitating episodes per year requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment, or three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year.

The appeal for service connection for sinusitis was withdrawn by the Veteran, and the claim for COPD was denied due to a lack of evidence showing a current diagnosis.

The Board granted service connection for allergic rhinitis, bilateral pes planus, chronic left costochondritis, left hip strain, left wrist strain, right wrist strain, and major depressive disorder with insomnia disorder. The appeal was denied for bilateral hearing loss, migraine, thoracolumbar strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The character of discharge from service was not a bar to VA compensation benefits.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of July 2, 2014, for service connection for sleep apnea, migraine headaches, maxillary sinusitis, and asthma.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, a right knee disorder, and a right shoulder disorder. The initial evaluations for allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and peptic ulcer disease were also denied.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied earlier effective dates for right hand fracture, little finger and deviated nasal septum with allergic rhinitis. Other claims were remanded for further development.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of August 10, 2022, for service connection for allergic rhinitis based on the PACT Act.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis, finding that there was no evidence of sinusitis during the pendency of the claim.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and denied an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, as well as compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of neck or spine fusion surgery.

The Board denied service connection for GERD, shortness of breath, an initial compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis, and an initial compensable disability rating for smallpox scar. The acne claim was remanded.

The Veteran was granted an initial 10 percent rating for non-allergic rhinitis and service connection for sinusitis, both under the PACT Act.

The appeal for service connection for allergic rhinitis and irritable bowel syndrome was dismissed based on the Veteran's explicit withdrawal of the claims. The claim for service connection for traumatic brain injury (TBI) was denied due to a lack of evidence linking TBI to active duty service.

The Board granted an effective date of September 2, 2022, for the award of a 30 percent rating for allergic rhinitis and special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate.

The Board denied service connection for a right elbow disability and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The increased rating claim for maxillary sinusitis was remanded.

The Board denied increased ratings for right shoulder DJD and thoracolumbar DDD, but granted service connection for non-allergic rhinitis on a presumptive basis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic sinusitis, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury and no causal relationship between any inservice event and the claimed disability.