Sinusitis Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and further examination.

The Veteran's hypertension is rated at 10 percent, and his bilateral plantar fasciitis is rated at 10 percent. The Board found no basis to grant higher ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% disability rating for sinusitis with sinus headaches is denied as there is no evidence of factually ascertainable increase in disability prior to April 12, 2007.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and sinusitis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to her service-connected allergic rhinitis. The Veteran was treated for migraines in service and currently suffers from these symptoms.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed respiratory disorder, including chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, as well as left maxillary sinus cancer, is not established due to lack of current diagnoses and insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a chronic sinus disorder and has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted. The Board also finds that service connection is warranted for chronic sinusitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his current sinusitis and skin disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further evaluation due to the complexity of determining his ability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation given his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis with allergic rhinitis is granted service connection. The issues of asthma and sleep apnea are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to secure pertinent records and obtain VA examinations.

The Board denied the reopening of claims for service connection for nose disorder, psychiatric disability, right knee disability, and sinusitis. The Veteran's hearing loss claim is being remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the issues related to service connection for kidney stones, also claimed as kidney pain; a chronic prostate disorder; skin rashes; brittle nails; a chronic bladder disorder; a chronic neurological disorder of the arms and legs; a headache disorder; sinusitis and allergies; gastroesophageal reflux disease; and stomach cancer, also claimed as cancerous polyps in the colon and a cancerous tumor in the duodenum.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The highest schedular rating of 30 percent was assigned for the Bell's palsy, left side of face, post-operative residuals. No compensable evaluation was granted for bilateral hearing loss or sinusitis. Service connection was not established for prostate cancer, Type II diabetes mellitus, or a lumbar spine disorder due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have a diagnosis of sinusitis and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board found no current diagnoses of sinusitis or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board found that the clinical evidence does not demonstrate a current diagnosis of a chronic sinus disability as of October 2009, and concluded that the Veteran's claimed sinusitis did not have its onset during active duty.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine at L4-L5 and sinusitis were both rated as 10 percent disabling, with no higher ratings granted due to lack of evidence supporting more severe disability levels.

The Veteran withdrew the appeal for the claim of entitlement to service connection for flat feet during his hearing. The remaining claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder, allergies and sinusitis, right heel disability, and left heel disability are not related to his military service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's respiratory problems, other than sinusitis, are found to be related to service.,Sinusitis is considered a preexisting condition that worsened during service.