The Board remands the claim for an initial compensable disability rating for rhinitis (claimed as sinusitis) due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically the failure to provide the Veteran with an adequate VA examination.
The deciding factor: Remand is required because the September 2023 VA examination did not adequately consider the ameliorative effects of medication on the severity of the Veteran's rhinitis symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- rhinitis (claimed as sinusitis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25028222
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for rhinitis and disability manifested by shortness of breath, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and Vitamin D deficiency. The Board also granted an initial 20 percent rating for thoracolumbar spine strain.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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