THE ULTIMATE GUIDE: Rhinitis VA Disability Claims

– MATT SAUERWALD, VICE-PRESIDENT, VETERANS HELP GROUP

Matt Sauerwald has dedicated his career to helping disabled Veterans get their VA disability benefits. Matt has proudly represented thousands of veterans with his expert knowledge and experience with the VA disability application process and the Veterans Administration.

Matt is here to help explain everything there is to know about Rhinitis VA disability claims.

The VA recognizes multiple types of rhinitis, and some types of this condition are presumed service-connected for different veterans. Whether this condition is presumed service-connected will depend on whether the condition is chronic, and whether the veteran served in one of the times and places where service members are presumed to have suffered toxic exposures. 

When this condition is found to be service-connected in a veteran, whether through a presumption or the more complex process of proving the causal connection–the disability rating assigned will depend on a combination of the type of rhinitis the veteran suffers from and the severity as evidenced by certain symptoms. That means a veteran diagnosed with service-connected rhinitis may receive a disability rating as low as 10% or, in rare circumstances, as high as 100%. 

Why Disability Ratings Matter

VA disability benefits depend in large part on the disability rating assigned. For example, a veteran with a 10% disability rating will receive just $171.23/month in monetary benefits in 2024. The veteran is entitled to VA healthcare services, but only for their service-connected condition or conditions. On the other hand, a veteran with a 50% VA disability rating gets $1,075.16/month–more if they have eligible dependents. They also qualify for more comprehensive healthcare services. So, it’s important to ensure that you provide all of the evidence necessary to qualify for the highest possible VA disability rating.

How VA Disability Ratings for Rhinitis are Assigned

There are three separate schedules for assigning VA disability ratings for this condition: one for allergic or vasomotor rhinitis, one for bacterial rhinitis, and a third for granulomatous rhinitis.  The first category is the most common. Here’s how the possible ratings break out. 

Allergic and Vasomotor

There are just two possible VA disability ratings for these types of rhinitis: 

• 10%, if there are no polyps present but there is a greater than 50% obstruction of both nasal passages or total obstruction of one.
• 30%, if polyps are present. 

Bacterial

There are also two possible ratings for bacterial rhinitis, but both the ratings and the determining factors are different. A veteran suffering from service-connected bacterial rhinitis may be rated: 

• 10%, with permanent hypertrophy of turbines and greater than 50% obstruction of both nasal passages or total obstruction of one. 
• 50%, with rhinoscleroma. 

Granulomatous

Again, there are just two ratings possible: 

• 20%, for most types of granulomatous infection. 
• 100%, for Wegener’s granulomatosis, lethal midline granuloma. 

Get Help with Your VA Disability Claim

As you can see, VA disability ratings for rhinitis depend heavily on technical medical documentation. Ensuring that you provide the right information to the VA is the first step toward securing the disability rating you deserve–and the benefits that go with it. To learn more about how an experienced VA disability benefits advocate at Veterans Help Group can help, call 855-855-8992 right now, or fill out our contact form here.

Learn More:

• VA Disability Benefits For Bruxism: Secondary Service Connection
• New VA Dental Insurance 
• How To Speed Up Your VA Disability Claim
• How To Apply For VA Disability Benefits
• Most Commonly Approved VA Disability Claims