Sarcoidosis decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have asbestosis or sarcoidosis that is related to his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral dysmorphopsia, finding that the schedular criteria were not met.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for sarcoidosis/bo-sarcoid, as the additional evidence submitted does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, a higher rating for pulmonary sarcoidosis with asthmatic bronchitis, and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records, providing new examinations, and considering the impact of his service-connected conditions on employment.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the loss of use of a creative organ is denied as she does not have such loss due to service-connected disability.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original 60% disability rating for sarcoidosis, effective March 1, 2005, as there is no evidence of actual improvement in his condition since May 2000.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sarcoidosis does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, as it is inactive and does not require chronic low dose or intermittent corticosteroids.

The Board finds that the Veteran's sarcoidosis is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and sarcoidosis are found to have begun during service, warranting the grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for pulmonary sarcoidosis and chronic sinusitis have been granted, with the initial compensable evaluation for the period of February 13, 2000, to March 26, 2002, and a noncompensable rating assigned for the period since then. The Veteran's current condition is characterized by intermittent corticosteroids use for pulmonary sarcoidosis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10 percent evaluation of her service-connected costochondritis, finding that it was not factually ascertainable prior to May 25, 2004, that the criteria for such rating had been met.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for pulmonary sarcoidosis. The Veteran was diagnosed with sarcoidosis during active service, and given the benefit of the doubt, the Board finds that a grant of service connection is warranted.

The Board denied an increased rating for sarcoidosis, finding that the Veteran's condition warranted a 30 percent evaluation effective November 23, 2007, but not higher.

The Veteran's sarcoidosis was present to a compensable degree within the first year after his discharge from service, and therefore is presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by active service.