The Veteran's sinusitis is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD with opioid and alcohol use disorders) is granted as service connected.,The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is denied as not service connected.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established for sinusitis due to a positive October 2025 VA medical opinion finding that the Veteran's sinusitis was at least as likely as not caused by toxic exposure risk activities during service.,Service connection was established for acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD with opioid and alcohol use disorders) based on an April 2025 VA examination indicating that the Veteran's symptoms were at least as likely as not etiologically related to service.,Service connection was denied for lumbosacral strain due to a lack of continuous symptoms since service and insufficient evidence linking current disability to active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- sinusitis, acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD with opioid and alcohol use disorders), lumbosacral strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2026
- Citation
- A26022414
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 A26022414.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and has ordered the case back to the AOJ for proper notice regarding the Veteran's right to a hearing.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for sinusitis is being remanded due to a failure by the AOJ to provide proper notice of his right to a hearing.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis and remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic lower back pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, neck pain, and GERD.
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