The Board has granted service connection for sinus disability, to include sinusitis, rhinitis, and nasal drip. The issues of service connection for a sleep disability other than insomnia as secondary to service-connected sinusitis, rhinitis, and nasal drip, and for bronchitis and shortness of breath as secondary to service-connected sinusitis, rhinitis, and nasal drip are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found the evidence in equipoise that the Veteran's current sinus conditions began during service and have continued since separation. The issues of sleep disability and chronic bronchitis are remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if they are related to service-connected sinusitis or rhinitis.
- Claimed conditions
- sinusitis, rhinitis, nasal drip
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20032787
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 20032787.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's rhinitis and gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia were evaluated, but the Board found that neither condition warranted a higher rating.,For rhinitis, the evidence did not show greater than 50 percent obstruction of both nasal passages or complete obstruction on one side. For gastric ulcer with hiatal hernia, symptoms were described as infrequent and mild.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and has ordered the case back to the AOJ for proper notice regarding the Veteran's right to a hearing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for sinusitis is being remanded due to a failure by the AOJ to provide proper notice of his right to a hearing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis and remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic lower back pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, neck pain, and GERD.
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