Sarcoidosis decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sarcoidosis, respiratory disorder (claimed as asthma), and headaches disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to a misplaced portion of his file. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), and sarcoidosis. As a result, these claims are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner to address whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed respiratory disorder, to include pulmonary asbestosis and sarcoidosis of lung, was caused by or resulted from the Veteran's military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for COPD, but further development is needed to address his respiratory disabilities and other claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's respiratory disorders, including sarcoidosis, obstructive sleep apnea, and asthma, are not related to his active duty service, including any asbestos exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sarcoidosis manifested to a compensable degree within one year of his separation from service, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for sarcoidosis.

The Veteran's sarcoidosis, at its worst, was manifested by post-bronchodilator FEV-1 of 59 percent predicted or pulmonary involvement with persistent symptoms requiring chronic low dose corticosteroids. The Board found a rating in excess of 30 percent is not warranted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sarcoidosis, asthma, hypertension, and OSA as secondary to sarcoidosis. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or association with any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's sarcoidosis. The issues on appeal are related to hypertension, asthma, and right lung sarcoidosis.