Citation Nr: 21030042
Decision Date: 05/17/21	Archive Date: 05/17/21

DOCKET NO. 18-27 169
DATE: May 17, 2021

REMANDED

Service connection for chronic rhinitis is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran had active service from December 1949 to March 1953.

Historically, the Board denied this claim in a November 2019 decision, which the Veteran appealed to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC).  In a December 2020 Joint Motion for Remand, the Board's decision was vacated.

Service connection is in effect for residuals, cold injury, left side trigeminal nerve; residuals, cold injury, right side trigeminal nerve' residuals, frostbite, left foot; residuals, frostbite, right foot; residuals, frostbite, right hand; and, residuals, frostbite, left hand.  

The Veteran asserts that he was treated for sinus problems in 1954 and that his sinus pressure has continued to this day.  He believes his sinus problems were associated with cold weather.  03/29/2011 Correspondence.  

At a June 2013 C&P examination, he reported that he first began to experience rhinitis issues "roughly in about 1953" and he attributed his symptoms to being exposed to the cold while in service.  08/01/2013 VA Examination.

An opinion must be sought as to whether the Veteran's diagnosed chronic rhinitis is due to active service.  

The matter is REMANDED for the following action:

1. Request that a qualified clinician with appropriate expertise review the claims file and provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not (a 50 percent or greater probability) that chronic rhinitis is due to his period of active service, to include conceded cold exposure. 

The examiner is advised that the Veteran is competent to report his symptoms and history and that his reports must be considered in formulating the requested opinion. 

The examiner must provide a comprehensive rationale for all opinions offered.  If any requested opinions cannot be provided without resort to speculation, the examiner should explain why this is so; and whether the inability to provide the necessary opinion is due to the limits of medical and scientific knowledge or is due to the absence of specific evidence.

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An examination should be scheduled if deemed necessary by the examiner.

 

 

Eric S. Leboff

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	M.W. Kreindler, Counsel

The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.