Sinusitis Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for multiple joint arthralgias, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, low back disability, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), allergic rhinitis, and urinary tract infection (UTI) due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of shell fragment wounds to the face and left leg, as well as sinusitis claimed as secondary to a shell fragment wound to the face. The evidence did not support the presence of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and chronic vasomotor rhinitis, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether these conditions were incurred during active military service.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the frequency and duration of incapacitating episodes requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment, as well as non-incapacitating episodes characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting.

The veteran withdrew his appeal concerning issues 2 through 9, leaving only the claims for major depressive disorder and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the claims for a compensable rating for retained metallic body of the right eye, service connection for rhinosinusitis and headaches secondary to the service-connected retained metallic body of the right eye. The appellant was found not to have established legal eligibility for a 10 percent rating based on multiple noncompensable disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and notification of missing records from the 1940s. The veteran's claims for service connection for dermatitis of the dorsal surface of the hands and sinusitis are pending.

The veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations and an earlier effective date for service connection were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support reopening his previously denied claim for tinnitus, as no new and material evidence was submitted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss, as well as other conditions. The decision also noted that there was no significant progression in his hearing loss during service.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis, effective from the date of initial entitlement.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a hearing with a local Decision Review Officer. The case will be returned to the Board after this action.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected bronchial asthma and rhinosinusitis and pansinusitis, as the evidence does not support ratings higher than the current 30% and 10% respectively.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for sinusitis and an earlier effective date for his right shoulder bursitis disability rating. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of sinusitis, and that the veteran's functional loss due to pain did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating prior to August 2001.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore denied his claims for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 and DEA eligibility.

The veteran's claims for service connection and initial evaluations were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a grant of higher ratings based on the criteria set forth in VA regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for allergic rhinitis, finding that his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6522 due to the presence of only one polyp. The highest available rating is 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability, residuals of a right great toe fracture, and allergic rhinitis are being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records and information regarding private medical treatment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a compensable rating for vasomotor rhinitis from April 26, 1999 to May 10, 2004 and granted a 30 percent rating thereafter. The current 30 percent rating is the maximum allowed under Diagnostic Code 6522.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected chronic sinusitis does not warrant a disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent.

The veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis is granted as of May 18, 2004. The right ankle condition and fibromyalgia claims are not addressed due to lack of service connection.