Sarcoidosis Board decisions

The Board has determined that further VA examinations and opinions are needed to resolve the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting medical evidence and lack of definitive diagnoses.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability, including COPD, as due to exposure to herbicides. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to address the current severity of his service-connected sarcoidosis and whether sleep apnea was incurred during active service. The Veteran also needs to provide evidence supporting that his child K. graduated from high school in May 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disease is not related to service or his service-connected sarcoidosis, and thus denied the claim for service connection. The ratings for sarcoidosis and glaucoma are also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was not granted any new or higher ratings.,The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for gastritis with duodenitis, 30 percent for sarcoidosis, or any other conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected pulmonary branch stenosis with pulmonary sarcoidosis is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 100 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for sarcoidosis and diabetes mellitus, type 2, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected sarcoidosis.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 70 percent disability rating, effective from the date of the decision. The Veteran is also granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for additional evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and examinations. The claim for TDIU is also considered on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain VA and private treatment records related to the Veteran's claimed conditions of bronchiectasis and sarcoidosis. The appeal is currently in remand status due to incomplete information.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to unscannable medical records and other relevant documents. The Veteran's claims of service connection for sarcoidosis and diabetes mellitus are being considered on their merits.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluation and service connection for sleep apnea, secondary to pulmonary sarcoidosis are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between his conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims can be fully adjudicated, including obtaining outstanding medical records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to address his service connection and employability claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and a new medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current sarcoidosis of the liver is related to his military service.

The Board granted service connection for sarcoidosis and assigned a noncompensable rating effective August 5, 2008. The Veteran's multiple joint and muscle arthralgias are rated as part of the sarcoidosis with an initial compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for sarcoidosis and a pulmonary vascular disease, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions were incurred in service or caused by sarcoidosis.,The Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased evaluations for right and left knee strains, bilateral hip disorders, skeletal pain secondary to chemical exposure, bilateral eye disorders, a heart murmur, a psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and panic attacks), and lumbar disorder have been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's sarcoidosis is rated at 30 percent since August 1, 2010. The Board found the evidence did not show a lower level of disability prior to that date.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for sleep apnea, sarcoidosis, and degenerative joint disease of the right knee have been granted. The Veteran is seeking higher initial ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right wrist disability.