Sarcoidosis decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected sarcoidosis, diabetes mellitus, type II, diabetic neuropathy (upper and lower extremities), and anterior crural nerve disabilities are remanded for further examination and rating considerations.

The Board has denied service connection for pulmonary sarcoidosis and remanded the issue of service connection for glaucoma, to include as secondary to chronic asthma.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development regarding her claims of service connection for various conditions, including burn scars of the face, depression and anxiety disorder, right knee condition, left knee condition, sarcoidosis, left hand condition, and facial twitches.,Effective date prior to January 21, 2014, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the awards of service connection for sarcoidosis, diabetes mellitus, and diabetic nephropathy with chronic kidney disease as there was no prior claim received within one year of separation from service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, type II and skin disability, due to in-service exposure to herbicides. The AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran’s assertions of in-service herbicide exposure and provide VA examinations to determine the dates of initial onset and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his service-connected sarcoidosis and its medications. The VA will need to provide a supplemental opinion from a somnologist or pulmonologist.

The Board has remanded the case to address whether a separate disability rating should be assigned for fatigue associated with the service-connected sarcoidosis, and to determine the appropriate diagnostic code to rate the Veteran's fatigue.

The Board has reconsidered the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, type II, PTSD, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, residuals of a recurrent anal fissure, sarcoidosis with sleep apnea, hypertension, hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disorder, and cyst removal scar. The claims are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination results and requests for additional evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sarcoidosis, PTSD, chronic cephalgia, and right eye conjunctival laceration is granted. The claims for increased ratings for right knee instability and right knee strain with limited flexion and painful motion are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, specifically related to exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his service or secondary to his service-connected sarcoidosis. A VA examination is needed to determine these relationships.

The Board denied service connection for an upper respiratory disability and sarcoidosis, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not have their onset in service or are otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for sarcoidosis due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all relevant medical records, including those from private facilities and VA hospitals, and schedule a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer has been reopened, and the claim is now granted. The Veteran's sarcoidosis rating has also been increased to 60 percent but not higher.