Many veterans have returned from service with sinusitis. Unfortunately, obtaining a disability rating for it can be challenging as it is not easily seen or measured. Moreover, the VA’s rules regarding sinusitis differ from other wartime injuries. If you are suffering from this, you need a veteran’s disability claims attorney. Marc Whitehead & Associates is a well-known and trusted Veterans’ Disability Law Firm. We assist veterans across the U.S. at all levels in their fight to obtain disability compensation.
How to obtain a disability rating for sinusitis
To obtain a disability rating for sinusitis, you must show a connection to your service. It can be:
- Direct: resulting from an in-service injury
- Secondary: a rated injury or illness aggravated by sinusitis
- Presumptive: resulting from exposure to burn pits
Each rating has rules and limitations relating to recovery.
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Directly Related Claims
A disability rating for sinusitis related to service injury generally is limited to ten percent (10%), thirty percent (30%), and fifty percent (50%) disability. The VA considers:
- Medical evidence of chronic sinusitis
- Evidence showing how it is a direct result of your service
- Evidence of multiple episodes of incapacitation annually due to it.
In a direct rating, the VA considers whether the sinusitis is acute or chronic. Acute sinusitis flares up occasionally and then subside. In contrast, chronic sinusitis is an ongoing medical condition impairing daily functioning. Therefore, the VA will rate only the latter because it interferes with the day-to-day business of your life, including employment.
Further, medical evidence helps establish a diagnosis. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are medical tests that diagnose it. They include allergy testing, MRI imaging, CT scan, fiber-optic light examination, and sinus discharge culturing. In addition, records of medical visits and diagnoses help establish the severity.
However, you’ll need more than medical records to establish it as chronic. For example, a statement from your job that you can’t work regularly, or a doctor’s statement regarding hospitalizations that caused you to miss work. All of the above can help establish the chronic nature of it. Again, a veteran claims attorney can be invaluable in this context–gathering and presenting this vital evidence to the VA.
Secondary and Presumptive Ratings
When another service injury aggravates your sinusitis, your rating may be higher. For example, the VA will consider full disability for Sleep Apnea secondary to (caused by) sinusitis. In addition, since 2021, the VA has allowed claims of presumptive sinusitis for some veterans who were exposed to burn pits.
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Contact us at Marc Whitehead & Associates for a free consultation
We’re a national firm that specializes in serving veterans. We have the utmost respect for and understanding of your burden and do all we can to make the process as easy as possible. We work remotely; no travel is necessary. So, if you’re suffering from service-related sinusitis, call us. Let’s get started on your claim now. We gather all the paperwork and charge nothing until we recover government funds for you.
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