Sarcoidosis decisions — 2009

The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for sarcoidosis, but ultimately determined that the condition was not related to military service.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and for a lung disability, finding that the disease process leading to the veteran's death was not attributable to his active military service.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence supports a relationship between the veteran's current hearing loss and his in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and a temporary total rating, as the evidence did not support higher disability ratings or a temporary total rating based on hospitalization.

The veteran's claim for service connection for urethral stricture was not reopened, but a 10 percent rating was granted under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 for multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities that interfere with normal employability.

The veteran was granted an initial rating of 30 percent for his service-connected sarcoidosis and restrictive lung disease, effective from April 1, 2004.

The Board granted service connection for sarcoidosis, finding that the evidence was in equipoise as to whether the condition began during active service or is related to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board denied reopening of service connection for a lung disorder, finding that the evidence submitted since the prior final decision did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The veteran's initial ratings for osteoarthritic changes of the thoracolumbar and cervical spine, as well as mild and persistent exercise-induced bronchial asthma with inactive pulmonary sarcoidosis, were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sarcoidosis and basal cell carcinoma as there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his active military service or any alleged exposure to Agent Orange, ionizing radiation, or non-ionizing radiation during service.