Sarcoidosis decisions — 2019

The Veteran's diffuse aquagenic pruritus and sarcoidosis have been granted service connection. The bilateral shoulder, right knee, and uveitis conditions are denied as not related to active service.

The Veteran's claims have been dismissed due to their death.

The Veteran's spouse was not recognized as a dependent for VA benefits until March 2014, despite the Veteran having submitted information about his marriage in 2008. The claim is denied because the necessary documentation was not received within one year of notification.

The Board has decided that the claims for sarcoidosis, heart disability, and hypertension need more information from Social Security Administration (SSA) records before a decision can be made.

The Veteran's service connection claims for sarcoidosis, cervical spine disorder, and various other conditions have been reopened. The Board finds that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and sarcoidosis with his military service.

The reduction of the disability rating for pulmonary sarcoidosis from 100 percent to 30 percent effective July 1, 2015 was proper and upheld. The Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work improved.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and evaluations of various conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches is granted. The claims for service connection for sarcoidosis and psychiatric disorders (including schizophrenia and PTSD) are reopened, but the service connection for low back disorder, left hip disorder, and right hip disorder is denied.

The Board has decided that further development is needed to determine if the Veteran's sarcoidosis was related to in-service chemical exposure, and thus remanded for a VA medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee, sarcoidosis, lung damage/bronchitis, congestive heart failure, and cirrhosis of the liver. The Veteran's current conditions were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and several joint conditions, require the need for aid and attendance due to his inability to dress himself and manage his daily needs.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sarcoidosis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypertension, and asthma due to inadequate opinions based on lack of evidence supporting asbestos exposure. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for sarcoidosis and seborrheic dermatitis have been granted. The remaining issues, including those related to an acquired psychiatric disability, drug and alcohol abuse, Tourette’s disorder, stroke residuals, dental condition, renal disorder (cystitis), diabetes mellitus, type II, gout, keratomas/calluses of feet, hypertension, and TDIU are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for flatfeet and sarcoidosis, as well as his claim for TDIU, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for establishing service connection or entitlement to TDIU.

The claims for service connection for left ankle injury, gout, and residuals of right knee injury have been dismissed. The petition to reopen the claim for service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury has been denied. The claims for service connection for hypertension and bilateral hip disability secondary to lumbosacral and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's sarcoidosis had its onset during service, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for sarcoidosis.

The Board has remanded the cases due to missing treatment records from a VA facility in Maguire, Virginia, dating back to at least 1980.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the receipt of additional relevant VA and private treatment records, as well as the need for a more definitive opinion regarding his skin disability. The case will be readjudicated after obtaining an expert dermatologist's opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for an opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's sarcoidosis and his service-connected anxiety disorder.