The Veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis has been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not now have, and indeed has not had, sinusitis. His claim for an initial rating higher than 60 percent for atopic dermatitis with chronic urticaria remains part of this matter but was granted with a maximum schedular rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records did not show any diagnosis of sinusitis during his active duty, and the post-service medical evidence also does not support a current diagnosis. The Board found that the Veteran's claim for sinusitis is denied as there is no current disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Sinusitis, Atopic Dermatitis with Chronic Urticaria
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- April 16, 2014
- Citation
- 1416961
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 1416961.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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