The Veteran's sinusitis is rated at a maximum of 50 percent prior to July 22, 2019. A higher rating for sinusitis since July 22, 2019, is denied.,The Veteran's rhinitis does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating and a higher rating than 10 percent is also denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner in July 2019 found that the Veteran’s sinusitis symptoms did not more nearly approximate chronic sinusitis following radical surgery with chronic osteomyelitis or near constant sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain and tenderness of the affected sinus, and purulent discharge or crusting after repeated surgeries.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Anterior Ethmoidal Sinusitis (Sinusitis), Rhinitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20078849
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 20078849.
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 Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include alcohol use disorder, unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, and PTSD was granted. Other claims for various conditions were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, fibromyalgia, dermatosis of the feet, irritable bowel syndrome, and traumatic brain injury. The appeal was denied for increased ratings for PTSD, tremors of the hands, functional digestive disorder, asthma, rhinitis, and chin scar.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an increased rating for sinusitis and a compensable rating for rhinitis but granted a 30% rating for migraines from May 9, 2023, to May 18, 2024, and a 50% rating for migraines starting May 19, 2024.
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