Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for rhinitis and sinusitis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during service and have persisted since then.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis contributed to his death from COVID-19. The appellant claims that her husband's nasal obstruction and other effects of his allergic rhinitis may have contributed to his ability to fight off SARS-COVID-2 pneumonia.

The Board denied service connection for rhinitis and sinusitis, as there is no persuasive evidence of these conditions during or near the pendency of the claim.,Service connection was granted for tinnitus. The Veteran reported that this condition began in service.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a special home adaptation grant due to his service-connected disabilities, which do not include anatomical loss or use of both hands or burn injuries.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for asthma and a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis.,The appellant's service-connected asthma was rated at 10 percent, reflecting intermittent inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for shortness of breath, muscle pain, allergic rhinitis, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), Bell's palsy, left hip disability with limitation of extension, and right hip disability with limitation of extension are not fully resolved due to insufficient evidence. The Board has remanded these claims for further review.

Service connection for plantar fasciitis and low back disability is dismissed as there are no eligible rating decisions in the year prior to receipt of the VA Form 10182.,Service connection for allergic rhinitis is granted based on a finding that it manifested within one year of service separation, with evidence not supporting an etiological link to service. Service connection for other stress and trauma related disorder with secondary alcohol use disorder is granted as it is linked to service.,Service connection for right shoulder disability (claimed as pain), left sciatica, and right sciatica is denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection for hypertension is denied because there is no evidence showing a chronic condition in service or manifesting within the applicable presumptive period. Service connection for dizziness is also denied due to lack of evidence supporting an etiological link to service.

The Board has denied an initial compensable disability rating for GERD and remanded the claim of service connection for allergic rhinitis due to a lack of adequate VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's asthma with allergic rhinitis is granted as service connected, and the Board found a causal link between his in-service event (asthmatic bronchitis) and his current condition.

The Veteran's claims for fatigue, sleep apnea, sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis have been denied as the submitted evidence is not new and relevant.,For left knee strain and lumbosacral strain (previously claimed as lumbar condition), the claims are remanded due to insufficient nexus opinions.

The Board has determined that the evidence is insufficient to establish service connection for rhinitis and sinusitis, and has therefore remanded the case for further development.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU, increased rating for allergic rhinitis, and service connection for a right knee disability were denied. The Board found that the Veteran was not in marginal employment with a protected environment, thus his claim for TDIU could not be granted earlier than October 20, 2017. For the allergic rhinitis claim, the evidence did not show polyps, which is required for a higher rating. Regarding the right knee disability, the Board found that there was no causal relationship between the condition and service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the severity, frequency, and duration of his PTSD symptoms did not more closely approximate a higher rating than 50 percent. For sinusitis, the Board noted there was no evidence of incapacitating episodes or near constant sinusitis requiring bed rest and treatment by a physician. For allergic rhinitis, there is no specific rating assigned as it does not meet the criteria for any particular disability code.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for service-connected allergic rhinitis has been denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has denied service connection for left, right knee conditions and lower back condition. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, asthma, rhinitis, and sinusitis are remanded due to the need for VA examinations.