Sinusitis Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including urinary incontinence, spinal stenosis, anxiety disorder, and others, have prevented him from securing and maintaining gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and consideration of a TDIU.

The Veteran's nasal bone fracture with deformity and sinusitis have been rated, but the appeal is denied as there are no additional issues of service connection or other claims pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, bilateral knee disability, hypertension, chronic sinusitis, and degenerative joint disease/degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine are all denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new examination and opinion regarding service connection for allergic rhinitis as secondary to chronic sinusitis. The TDIU issue is also inextricably intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, arranging for a VA examination to assess the severity of his left ear hearing loss disability, and providing an opinion on whether his hypertension is secondary to service-connected PTSD. The examiner must also determine if his sinusitis is related to exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's deviated nasal septum and sinusitis did not meet or approximate any applicable criteria for a compensable (10%) rating, as there were no incapacitating episodes of sinusitis requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment or non-incapacitating episodes characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting.

The Veteran's sinusitis is manifested by weekly nonincapacitating episodes with symptoms of pain, headaches, and nasal discharge/drainage with crusting. The criteria for a disability rating of 30 percent have been met or approximated.

The Veteran's sinusitis has not been manifested by three or more incapacitating episodes per year requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment, so the current 10% evaluation is appropriate.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, left ankle disability, and urinary/bowel incontinence. The Veteran's sinusitis and pes cavus are not directly related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection for chloracne, increased rating for right orbital fracture with related conditions, increased rating for tinnitus, and ratings for hearing loss and sinusitis are pending.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for sinusitis and PTSD, but denied reopening of the claim for a left knee disability. The Veteran's new evidence does not provide sufficient medical opinion to establish a link between his current disabilities and military service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for COPD associated with his pulmonary tuberculosis is being remanded due to further development needed. The claims for increased ratings and TDIU are also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a left knee injury has been withdrawn. The issues of maxillary sinusitis with retention cyst and right shoulder osteoarthritis are pending.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for muscle tension headaches, sinusitis, allergies and hay fever, and back disability as secondary to service-connected TMJ disease, right jaw tumor residuals.,An effective date prior to December 29, 1978, is not warranted for the award of service connection for right 5th cranial nerve numbness, right jaw tumor residual.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for inhalant allergies and heart disability, finding new and material evidence. Service connection is granted for allergic rhinitis with chronic sinusitis. The claim for thyroid disability remains denied.

The Board found that the appellant's claimed disabilities, including right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left foot/ankle, low back, gouty arthritis, and chronic sinusitis, were not incurred in or aggravated by his active service. The most probative evidence established that these conditions are not causally related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and headaches, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status is being remanded due to an inadequate VA examination. The case will be reviewed after further development.

The Veteran's lower back disorder is rated at 20 percent disabling, and his allergic rhinitis/sinusitis was previously rated as noncompensable but now warrants a compensable rating since March 18, 2011.