The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, right knee disability, left trigger thumb, and nose bleeds is withdrawn. For sinusitis with rhinitis, a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to August 24, 2009, and 30 percent from that date, has been denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or three or more incapacitating episodes requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment (lasting four-to-six weeks) per year to warrant a higher rating for sinusitis with rhinitis.
- Claimed conditions
- Obstructive sleep apnea, Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension, Right knee disability, including osteoarthritis, Left trigger thumb, Nose bleeds, claimed as secondary to service-connected sinusitis with rhinitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 22, 2011
- Citation
- 1111398
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1111398.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the issue of an increased rating for skin condition.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 10% rating for hypertension effective December 1, 2025 and denied a rating in excess of 10%. The reduction from 10% to noncompensable was not proper.
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