The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis and a compensable rating for chronic rhinitis are denied. The claim for a disability rating of 20 percent for service-connected dry eye syndrome is granted, but the Board has remanded his claim seeking service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no current diagnosis of sinusitis or rhinitis and determined that the Veteran's symptoms were better explained by chronic rhinitis rather than a separate sinusitis disability. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under DC 6522 for his chronic rhinitis.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic sinusitis, chronic rhinitis, dry eye syndrome (claimed as bilateral eye condition), obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 23, 2026
- Citation
- A26016167
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 A26016167.
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 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.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or toxic exposure. The Veteran's claims were based on his participation in TERA activities during service.
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