Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2023

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate opinions regarding his sleep apnea and secondary service connection for allergic rhinitis, GERD, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and migraines. The Veteran will need more contemporaneous examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

Service connection granted for lumbosacral strain, tension headaches, right knee strain, cervical strain, dermatitis of the left elbow, rhinitis, and left wrist sprain.,Service connection denied for groin rash.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, was granted. The claims for service connection for gastric ulcer with reflux (reflux), left lower extremity radiculopathy, and abnormal liver test disability were denied. The claim for earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for reflux, rhinitis, and left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied. The claim for service connection for bilateral restless leg syndrome is remanded.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee disability, neck disability, chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, left foot parakeratosis, and right hand degenerative joint disease have been granted. Effective dates earlier than September 13, 2016 are not warranted.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred in service and is denied.,The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is presumed to have existed prior to service, but the evidence does not show it was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma, chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis is granted. The claims for service connection for prostate cancer and low back disability are remanded due to the need for additional development. The claim for an increased rating for acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence to determine if the Veteran's current rhinitis is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for allergic rhinitis was withdrawn prior to the promulgation of a decision. Service connection for chronic idiopathic urticaria, presumed related to Gulf War service, is granted. The claims for service connection for chronic stye and left hip bursitis are remanded due to lack of current medical evidence. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of sinusitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and allergic rhinitis due to lack of evidence of a claim prior to April 19, 2006. The combined rating assigned was 80 percent.

The Veteran's claims for compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for liver disability, increased ratings for right shoulder impingement syndrome, and allergic rhinitis and bilateral tinea pedis of the feet are remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has determined that there is new and material evidence to support his claims for chronic sinusitis, a sleep disorder, persistent loose stools, COPD and asthma, and IBS with chronic diarrhea. The conditions are found to be related to service or toxic exposure during service.

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis and bilateral hearing loss disabilities have been granted service connection, but the Veteran is seeking higher ratings for both conditions.,For his allergic rhinitis, a rating higher than 10 percent is denied. For his bilateral hearing loss, a rating higher than 30 percent is also denied from December 7, 2020 onwards.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's respiratory disorder and exposure claims. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining additional treatment records and requesting an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.