The Veteran's eye disability, headaches as secondary to sinusitis, and maxillary sinusitis are granted service connection. The Veteran is denied service connection for hyposmia due to existing service-connected loss of sense of smell. An initial compensable rating (30%) is granted for maxillary sinusitis from July 26, 2016 onwards. Service connection for PTSD is not granted as the disability does not meet the criteria for a higher than 50% rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's eye condition and headaches are linked to his service through medical opinions provided by VA examiners. Maxillary sinusitis was found to be related to his service-connected sinusitis, resulting in a grant of service connection. The Veteran's loss of sense of smell is not considered separate from his existing service-connected sinusitis. The 30% rating for maxillary sinusitis is granted based on the number and severity of non-incapacitating episodes over the past year.
- Claimed conditions
- eye disability, hyposmia, headaches, maxillary sinusitis, erectile dysfunction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- October 10, 2018
- Citation
- 18141434
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 18141434.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including sinusitis, elbows condition, cervical condition, erectile dysfunction, kidney condition, sleep apnea, wrists condition, asthma, shoulders condition, ankles condition, eye condition (bilateral dry macular degeneration), peripheral vascular disease (heart condition), and rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and denied increased ratings for right shoulder impingement syndrome, hearing loss, painful scar, patellofemoral pain syndromes of the knees, and other conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches with an initial rating of 50 percent effective from August 10, 2022, and denied the claims for service connection for a right knee disability, obstructive sleep apnea, kidney disability, low back disability, and erectile dysfunction.
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