The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with a rating of 50% for sinusitis from January 23, 2018 to March 24, 2019 and beginning April 18, 2019. Other conditions such as sleep apnea, hearing loss, otitis media, gout, asthma, esophageal disorder, and bladder disorder have also been granted service connection with the exception of left ear hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's sinusitis symptoms more closely approximated near constant sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, tenderness of affected sinuses, and purulent discharge or crusting after repeated surgeries. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is caused and/or aggravated by service-connected sinusitis. Evidence related to the unestablished facts raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for gout, asthma, esophageal disorder, and bladder disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, otoscmedia (otitis media), gout, asthma, esophageal disorder, bladder disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- May 11, 2022
- Citation
- 22027714
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 22027714.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
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