During Gulf War military service, exposure to dust, sand particles, smoke, and chemicals from burn pits was often a daily issue. These exposures can lead to an increased risk of respiratory diseases, including chronic sinusitis.
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If you are a veteran with chronic sinusitis, you may be eligible for a sinusitis VA rating. This article describes what the condition is, who is eligible for presumptive service connection for sinusitis, and how the VA rating for sinusitis is determined.
In this article about the sinusitis VA rating:
What is sinusitis?
Sinusitis occurs when the air-filled spaces behind the face, called sinuses, swell. This swelling makes it difficult for mucus to drain. When mucus can’t drain properly, bacteria and germs will multiply.
There are two main types of sinusitis. Acute sinusitis occurs when symptoms last for a short period of time, and are likely due to a cold. With chronic sinusitis, however, swelling is ongoing and symptoms last for twelve weeks or more.
Symptoms of sinusitis may include:
- Nasal congestion
- Difficulty breathing through your nose
- Tenderness around the eyes
- Sinus pain
- Nasal polyps
- Nasal congestion
- Thick, colored drainage from the nose
- Thick mucus draining down the back of the throat (postnasal drip)
- Loss of smell
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
Causes of sinusitis
Viruses, like the ones that cause the common cold, cause the most cases of sinusitis. But, anything that irritates the mucosa (the glands that make mucus) or block drainage can cause chronic sinusitis.
These may include:
- Infections
- Chronic allergies
- Nasal polyps
- Deviated septum
- Prolonged exposure to air pollution or fumes
- Certain autoimmune or inflammatory diseases
- Repeated bouts of acute sinusitis
Sinusitis and veterans
Military life, including combat, training, and deployment, presents risk factors that can increase your risk of developing chronic sinusitis.
Physical injuries, such as a blow to the face causing a deviated septum, and exposure to particulate matter and toxins are serious – and common – risk factors for veterans.
Due to emissions from burn pits, including smoke from burning trash, fuel, and human waste, veterans who were deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq may have been exposed to higher levels of harmful, airborne pollutants during service. In addition to burn pit exposure, working in the dust-filled environments of Southwest Asia can easily irritate the mucosa, causing sinus issues.
Sinusitis VA rating
Chronic sinusitis is listed under diagnostic codes 6510 through 6414, all of which are rated using the General Rating Formula for Sinusitis. Potential disability ratings are 0%, 10%, 30%, and 50%.
The VA rating for sinusitis is determined by a combination of the severity of your symptoms, how much medication is required to control your symptoms, and the number of “incapacitating episodes” you experience per year.
According to the VA, an “incapacitating episode” from sinusitis is one that requires bed rest and treatment by a physician.
The table below describes the criteria for each rating.
| Description | VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|
| Following radical surgery with chronic osteomyelitis, or; near constant sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain and tenderness of affected sinus, and purulent discharge or crusting after repeated surgeries | 50% | $1,102.04 |
| Three or more incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis requiring prolonged (lasting four to six weeks) antibiotic treatment, or; more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting | 30% | $537.42 |
| One or two incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis requiring prolonged (lasting four to six weeks) antibiotic treatment, or; three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting | 10% | $175.51 |
| Detected by X-ray only | 0% | None |
It is important to note that while veterans often have multiple respiratory conditions, they will not typically receive more than one rating for lung conditions because many of the symptoms overlap.
VA disability lawyer Krystal Lechner explained, “A lot of these [respiratory] symptoms overlap and can lead into other conditions – for example, someone with asthma often has chronic sinusitis and that oftentimes develops into chronic bronchitis… but even if you have multiple lung conditions, the VA is only going to rate you for one condition.” She continued, “That’s why it’s important to get a proper diagnosis and when you go to your exam to give your best effort and to tell your examiner all of your symptoms.”
Service connecting sinusitis VA rating
There are several ways veterans can service connect their sinusitis.
First, some veterans may be eligible for a presumptive sinusitis service connection. A presumptive service connection is made when the VA assumes a health issue is linked to the unique conditions of your military service. If you’re diagnosed with a presumptive condition and you qualify, you don’t need to prove a connection between your condition and your service to be eligible for VA compensation.
There are now more than thirty conditions included on the list of presumptive conditions related to burn pit exposure. Chronic sinusitis is included as a burn pit presumptive. Therefore qualifying Gulf War veterans with sinusitis can receive a presumptive service connection for their condition.
To be eligible for a presumptive sinusitis VA rating, you should have served in one of these locations during the listed time period:
Veterans who are not eligible to receive sinusitis on a presumptive basis can also still receive a sinusitis VA rating. As with other health conditions, veterans always have the option to provide evidence of a medical nexus linking their service and their sinusitis diagnosis for a direct service connection. You may also be able to prove your service made your existing sinusitis worse, or that another service-connected health condition caused your sinusitis. In all of these cases, the VA would owe you disability compensation for your sinusitis.
VA C&P exam for sinusitis
During the VA disability claims process, you’ll likely be required to take a compensation and pension exam (C&P exam). The VA uses the results from the C&P exam to determine your disability rating for a condition, and the level of compensation you’ll receive.
Also known as a claim exam, a C&P exam evaluates your symptoms, the severity of your condition, and helps the examiner determine whether or not your condition is service related. At your exam, you can expect to answer a lot of questions about your health.
A C&P exam might feel intimidating, so it’s best to take careful notes of your sinusitis symptoms before the exam. Be sure to tell the examiner everything, including medications you’re taking, frequency of symptoms, and how sinusitis affects your life. The more information you provide, the more accurate your rating can be.
VA DBQ sinusitis
To collect and organize all the evidence that supports your sinusitis disability claim, you can ask your doctor to fill out a disability benefits questionnaire (DBQ). DBQ forms can be used to your advantage during the claims process, so be sure to have your doctor fill it out completely.
The VA DBQ for sinusitis includes spaces for your doctor to describe your condition, list your symptoms, and provide details of your medical history and any surgeries you’ve had to treat sinusitis. DBQ forms are also used during C&P exams to guide the process.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
While it is possible in some cases, you will not typically receive a VA disability rating for more than one respiratory condition due to rules about pyramiding.
Yes, sinusitis is on the list of presumptive conditions related to burn pit exposure. So, if you served in any of the qualifying locations and time periods, the VA will assume you were exposed to toxins from burn pits that resulted in your chronic sinusitis diagnosis.
Neil Woods
VA disability lawyer
Woods and Woods
Neil Woods is the firm’s owner and president. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
