Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for chronic sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, recurrent upper respiratory infections (URIs), and allergic rhinitis as these conditions are related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for further development.,No effective dates earlier than June 16, 2010 were granted for any of the conditions as there is no evidence of prior communications indicating intent to file a claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all conditions and issues except hypertension, PTSD/Depressive Disorder with Memory Loss, sleep apnea, chronic fatigue syndrome, GERD, back disorder, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, right and left hand disabilities, diverticulitis, chronic constipation, urinary incontinence, arthritis of the entire body, fibromyalgia/arthralgia, erectile dysfunction, rhinitis, migraine headaches, fungus of the feet, sinusitis, hypercholesterolemia. The Board dismissed these appeals as per the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Veteran's appeals seeking initial compensable ratings for various conditions have been dismissed. Appeals for higher ratings on some issues are still pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the introduction of new and material evidence. However, the claims remain pending as they are being remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic sinusitis and headaches, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his service-connected allergic rhinitis. The rating for allergic rhinitis remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not render him permanently and totally disabled, thus he is not eligible for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee, exercise-induced compartment syndrome of the legs, allergic rhinitis, GERD, and migraines did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on current evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and scheduling new VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for allergic rhinitis, right kidney tumor, and prostate cancer as the evidence did not show a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sinus disorder is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an allergy disorder (to include allergic rhinitis) is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disorder is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased disability ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's application to reopen service connection for allergic rhinitis has been granted. The claims for service connection for CAD, ED/Hypoandrogenism, hypercholesterolemia, and GERD are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's rating for allergic rhinitis was reduced from 30 percent to zero percent, but this reduction is now restored due to the evidence showing sustained improvement in the condition.