Sinusitis Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to consider new evidence under the 'new and relevant' standard.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for various conditions were denied. The rating for sleep apnea was not higher than 50%. The rating for sinusitis was not higher than 10%. The right knee strain and instability, as well as the left and right carpal tunnel syndromes, all received their maximum assigned ratings of 20% and 30%, respectively.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including joint pain, muscle pain, left shoulder condition, neck condition, bilateral foot condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, and respiratory condition are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.,No current diagnoses have been established for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder and a fungal disorder of the right hand is dismissed. The effective date of December 23, 2013 for service connection for GERD associated with chronic sinusitis is granted. The appeals for rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic sinusitis and sinus headaches associated with chronic sinusitis and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that the Veteran has voluntarily left his teaching job due to anger issues related to his PTSD, and he is currently working as an Uber driver. Therefore, TDIU is denied.

The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes, low back pain, sinusitis, hypertension, GERD, painful lower extremities/myalgias, coronary artery disease (heart disease), flu virus, group C virus, adenovirus, skin disability, and right kidney disability have all been denied as not related to service or service-connected conditions.,The claim for a higher initial rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals, fractures, right toes has been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded other issues due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of aggravation of hypertension during service, and that there was no evidence to show that any other conditions claimed by the Veteran had been aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his psychiatric disorder, sinusitis, migraines, knee and hip conditions, and wrist disability, prevent him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU for the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for further medical evaluation regarding the Veteran's sinus related disorders, including rhinitis.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, as well as his claim for an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis. The issues of entitlement to service connection have been remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the conditions in question.

The Veteran's respiratory disability, including allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, is not service-connected.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of asthma or any other respiratory condition that can be linked to service.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for coronary artery disease and migraine headaches, both secondary to service-connected sinusitis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for his bilateral foot disabilities, hypertension, and allergic rhinitis due to new evidence submitted after the most recent Statement of the Case (SOC).

The Veteran's PTSD, allergic rhinitis, obstructive sleep apnea, bladder cancer, prostate hypertrophy, and calculus of the left ureter are all remanded for further development.,Additional medical opinions are needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the etiology of the respiratory condition. The claims for service connection, TDIU, and SMP are now pending.

The reduction of the evaluation for pansinusitis from 50 percent to noncompensable was improper due to inadequate evidence showing improvement.,The reduction of the evaluation for bronchiectasis from 30 percent to 10 percent was also improper as there is no clear indication that her condition improved.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding various disability ratings and service connection claims due to his withdrawal of these issues during a hearing before the Board.

The Board has remanded the cases of sinusitis and hearing loss for additional development due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for his painful left wrist scar, residual scars of the right knee, and other disabilities are denied. The Board finds that new examinations are needed to determine the current severity of these conditions.,The Veteran’s claims for increased ratings are REMANDED as there is insufficient evidence regarding the current severity of his right wrist, left wrist, back, right knee, left ankle, allergic rhinitis, and pseudofolliculitis barbae disabilities.