The Board has decided that the Veteran's sinus infections and rhinitis, as well as any respiratory condition including asthma, COPD, or shortness of breath due to undiagnosed illness, are not service-connected. The case is being sent back for further development.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on a lack of substantial compliance with the remand directives and the need for additional medical opinions regarding exposure to ammunition dump and oil well fires.
- Claimed conditions
- sinus infection, rhinitis, respiratory condition (including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or shortness of breath due to undiagnosed illness)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20059884
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 20059884.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis on a direct basis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service, including exposure to environmental factors during Operation Desert Storm.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete findings and failure to properly address the onset, cause, and nature of his conditions. The VA will need to schedule examinations to determine if his rhinitis and bilateral hand disabilities are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and rhinitis as there is no evidence of these conditions during the appeal period.
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