The Veteran's sinusitis is not manifested by incapacitating episodes or three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting.,The Board has expanded the scope of the Veteran’s claims to encompass any diagnosis raised by the record. The matter is REMANDED for further development as described above.,Entitlement to service connection for a lung disability is remanded due to lack of medical opinion addressing causation related to service, Gulf War exposure, or undiagnosed illness.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD) is remanded due to the need for further development as described above.,Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for sinusitis is denied.

The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not show that the Veteran’s sinusitis was manifested by any incapacitating episodes with treatment by a physician or three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting.,A VA examination is needed to determine whether any disability of the spine is related to service. A VA mental health examination is also needed to determine if the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD and whether it is at least as likely as not related to in-service stressors.,The opinion did not address whether the pulmonary nodules resulted from an infectious process while in service or were causally related to Gulf War exposure. A VA mental health examination is needed to determine if any lung disability began in service or is causally related to service, due to exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune.,The opinion did not address whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD) was caused by an in-service stressor. A VA mental health examination is needed to determine if any current psychiatric disability began in service or is causally related to service.

Claimed conditions

{"condition_name":"Sinusitis"}, {"condition_name":"Cervical spine disability"}, {"condition_name":"Thoracolumbar spine disability"}, {"condition_name":"Lung disability"}, {"condition_name":"Acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD))"}

How they argued it

Not specified

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

January 8, 2019

Citation

19101478