Sinusitis Board decisions

The Board has decided that additional development is necessary before a decision can be made on the service connection for esophageal cancer due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's claims file contains conflicting diagnoses and lacks a VA examination, so further investigation is required.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder to include allergic rhinitis, finding no evidence linking his current condition to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange or any other service-related factor.

The Veteran's application for S-DVI was denied due to the presence of nonservice-connected disabilities. The appeal is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with previously remanded service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his disabilities due to incomplete development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations.

The Veteran's respiratory issues, including chronic maxillary sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, were not shown to be related to service. His sleep disturbances, specifically obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia, also did not manifest during or as a result of service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a nasal disability, bilateral sacral joint pain, and an increased rating for his service-connected back disability due to incomplete information in the examination report.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is not productive of polyps, a greater than 50 percent obstruction of nasal passages on both sides, or a complete obstruction on one side. Therefore, the claim for a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis has been denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left leg joint pain, right and left foot disabilities, sinusitis, allergies, sleep apnea, and vertigo due to a lack of current disability evidence. The claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining missing STRs and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis was granted service connection. The right wrist condition, right shoulder condition, and chest condition were denied as not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran's sinusitis was not aggravated by his military service. The VA examiner found no current evidence of sinus disease, but noted rhinitis symptoms.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for further evaluation due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for ADHD and remanded the remaining issues of increased ratings for GERD with IBS, rhinitis, and anxiety disorder with bruxism. The Veteran is to be scheduled for VA examinations to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, hemorrhoids, residuals from hernia surgery, and tinnitus are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board found that the appellant's ACDUTRA service qualifies as military service for purposes of seeking entitlement to service connection, thus establishing basic eligibility to VA benefits.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and left foot plantar fasciitis are granted service connection. The Veteran's sinusitis is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. Service connection for gastrointestinal disorder (IBS) and muscle and joint pain due to service in Southwest Asia is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not originate in or are otherwise related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The Veteran's maxillary/ethmoid sinusitis with left nasal deformity, status post rhinoplasty, is granted a maximum schedular rating of 50 percent. The Veteran's herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbar spine L5-S1, status post lumbar laminotomy and diskectomy, with degenerative joint disease and invertebral disc syndrome, is denied any increase beyond the current 40 percent rating. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is also denied any increase beyond the current 20 percent rating. The Veteran's contact dermatitis of the feet and HPV are both denied initial compensable ratings.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that it is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected disabilities. The decision also reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim.

The Board has dismissed all appeals for service connection and rating issues related to the Veteran's respiratory conditions, including COPD, asthma, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, high cholesterol, hypertension, GERD, diabetes mellitus type II, rhinitis (claimed as allergies), and obstructive sleep apnea. The effective date of service connection remains March 18, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for otitis externa and maxillary sinusitis were denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions met the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable VA regulations.