Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2001

The Board has denied the veteran's application for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of evidence showing service-connected disability that meets the criteria for such benefits.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent disability rating for sinusitis effective from January 1, 1996. A higher rating is not warranted for rhinitis.

The Board granted a total rating based on individual unemployability for the purpose of accrued benefits due to significant and severe limitation of motion of the back and functional loss due to back pain as well as serious symptoms from PTSD impairing occupational functioning. The veteran was not found to be in need of regular aid and attendance or bedridden.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has determined that the veteran's service-connected chronic rhinitis does not warrant a compensable rating, as there is no evidence of greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passages on both sides or complete obstruction on one side. The non-compensable rating remains in effect.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and increased ratings for sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, but denied the claim for right ear hearing loss.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for post-operative residuals of proximal inter phalangeal joint resection arthroplasty of the fourth and fifth toes of the left foot, and allergic rhinitis are both granted. The rating assigned for allergic rhinitis is 10 percent.

The veteran's claim for service connection for prostate disability and chronic sinusitis and/or chronic rhinitis was denied. The Board found that the veteran currently suffers from benign prostatic hypertrophy which had its onset during his period of active military service, warranting a grant of service connection.

The veteran's initial rating for bipolar disorder is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The veteran's initial compensable rating for sinusitis/allergic rhinitis is granted based on moderate symptoms.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his acromioclavicular joint separation of the right shoulder, meniscus tear of the left knee, and hypertension as there is no evidence of more than slight instability or subluxation in the left knee, and no objective medical evidence of recurrent instability or subluxation in the right shoulder.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder, including hypertension, and allergic rhinitis and sinusitis (claimed as headaches) are pending. The claim for new and material evidence for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also pending.,A higher evaluation of 60 percent has been granted for the lumbar myositis and discogenic disease of the lumbar spine effective from January 31, 2000. However, prior to that date, a maximum evaluation of 20 percent was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection, finding that the evidence did not warrant an evaluation greater than 10 percent for his hypertension disability or additional support for a claim of allergic rhinitis.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with the exception of the claim for rhinitis which was not addressed due to lack of medical evidence. The other conditions received a 10 percent rating.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations of his asthma and rhinitis disabilities, as well as his request to reopen a claim for service connection for neurodermatitis. The decision found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under either the old or new rating criteria.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was granted. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for bipolar disorder was also granted, with a 30 percent evaluation effective from February 1, 1993. Other claims were continued at their prior evaluations.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected bronchial asthma and anxiety disorder, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating under either the old or revised criteria.