Allergic rhinitis decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Central Florida Regional Hospital on February 11, 2006 were reimbursable due to an emergent medical condition and because VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for her low back disability, service connection for her right arm disorder (claimed as tendonitis), and service connection for her allergies are all denied. The Board found no current evidence of a chronic right arm disorder or allergic reactions that can be attributed to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's right elbow disability was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a chronic acquired right elbow disability during service and his symptoms were acute and transitory. Service connection for allergic rhinitis was granted based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, low back disability, and allergic rhinitis. The Veteran's complaints of tinnitus were not documented in service records, and the current condition is not linked to active service. For the low back disability, there are service treatment records indicating pain but no diagnosis at that time. Current degenerative changes in the lumbar vertebra are associated with service. Allergic rhinitis was not addressed as a service-connected issue.

The Veteran's respiratory disorders, including allergic rhinitis and asthma, are not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by service. His fibromyalgia is not related to his service. The psychiatric disability claim is pending.

The appellant seeks service connection for low back pain, disability of the parotid gland, allergic rhinitis, and a disability of the chest. The VA is remanding the case to obtain medical examinations and opinions regarding these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate his service connection claims for a psychiatric disorder, including dysthymic disorder, and allergic rhinitis.

The Board found that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis was not incurred in service and denied his claim. The right elbow tendonitis issue is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and right hip disability were denied. The claim for an initial increased rating for allergic rhinitis was granted with a 30% evaluation effective May 7, 2007.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for allergic rhinitis was dismissed due to his failure to respond within one year to a request for private treatment records, which were deemed essential for the proper adjudication of his claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's rhinitis and bronchitis are not related to his active duty service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of sinusitis or IBS, and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions. The claims for increased evaluations for right shoulder bursitis and GERD were also denied.

The Veteran's chronic allergic rhinitis has not been manifested by, in the absence of polyps, greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side. Therefore, an initial compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a right ankle disability, rhinitis, left inguinal hernia, and epigastric hernia. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.