Jump to content
VA Disability Community via Hadit.com

VA Disability Claims Articles

Ask Your VA Claims Question | Current Forum Posts Search | Rules | View All Forums
VA Disability Articles | Chats and Other Events | Donate | Blogs | New Users

  • hohomepage-banner-2024-2.png

  • 27-year-anniversary-leaderboard.png

    advice-disclaimer.jpg

  • donate-be-a-hero.png

  • 0

Reduction due to preexisting condition

Rate this question


Vync

Question

  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder

Given this situation:

Entrance exam

Quote

On the veteran's entrance examination he reported problems with his nose but the findings of the exam were normal

.

Decision letter text:

Quote

Service connection for allergic rhinitis/sinusitis has been granted because this condition, which existed prior to military service, permanently worsened as a result of service. The difference between disability evaluations before and after military service determines the degree of disability subject to service connection. Prior to service, the disability is considered 10 percent disabling based on evidence that showed that he always had problems of recurrent rhinitis. Following military discharge, the disability is 30 percent disabling which is the maximum evaluation for allergic rhinitis, because evidence now shows septal deviation and nasal polyps not shown on the veteran's entrance examination. The preservice percentage is always deducted before assigning any service-connected evaluation less than 100 percent. This condition is evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

 

Rating criteria

Quote
6522   Allergic or vasomotor rhinitis:  
With polyps 30
Without polyps, but with greater than 50-percent obstruction of nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side 10

 

This recent BVA CUE win stated the denial was based on verbal statements instead of the presumption of soundness and criteria for aggravation was incorrectly used instead of direct SC.
http://www.va.gov/vetapp14/Files3/1422654.txt


Question 1
Could the same CUE logic be applied if subjective statements in STRs by the veteran are given more weight than the presumption of soundness and the claim was treated as aggravation instead of direct SC?

Question 2
If the VA states "the difference between disability evaluations before and after military service determines the degree of disability subject to SC", did the VA correctly reduce by 10% or should 0% have been used because the entrance exam failed to meet 10% criteria?

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 0
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters For This Question

Popular Days

Top Posters For This Question

Popular Days

0 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

There have been no answers to this question yet

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use