BVA decisions by condition
Sarcoidosis: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a sarcoidosis issue in 959 decisions. It granted the sarcoidosis issue in 21.3% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 23.0%, and remanded it in 54.6%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 48.0% were granted.
Decisions
959
2017–2026
Granted
21.3%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
48.0%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
54.6%
Denied: 23.0%
Sarcoidosis outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 51 | 13.7% | 31.4% | 45.1% | 9.8% |
| 2018 | 74 | 9.5% | 25.7% | 62.2% | 2.7% |
| 2019 | 112 | 20.5% | 20.5% | 58.0% | 0.9% |
| 2020 | 99 | 15.2% | 22.2% | 61.6% | 1.0% |
| 2021 | 108 | 21.3% | 25.0% | 52.8% | 0.9% |
| 2022 | 133 | 20.3% | 21.8% | 57.1% | 0.8% |
| 2023 | 123 | 23.6% | 23.6% | 52.0% | 0.8% |
| 2024 | 113 | 24.8% | 18.6% | 54.0% | 2.7% |
| 2025 | 122 | 32.0% | 23.8% | 43.4% | 0.8% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied sarcoidosis decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the sarcoidosis issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 203 | 81.9% | 31.7% | +50.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 112 | 74.4% | 42.1% | +32.3 pts |
| Combat service | 42 | 73.3% | 47.1% | +26.3 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 76 | 71.1% | 45.7% | +25.3 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 382 | 60.9% | 36.3% | +24.6 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 97 | 43.5% | 48.3% | −4.8 pts |
| Lay statement | 753 | 43.2% | 71.8% | −28.6 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 69.1% of the decisions that granted sarcoidosis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 27.9% of grants and 11.3% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often sarcoidosis was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 516 | 45.6% | 51.9% | −6.2 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 707 | 45.5% | 61.2% | −15.7 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied sarcoidosis
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established25
- Pact act presumptive service connection6
- Continuity of symptomatology since service4
- Pact act presumption applies3
- Exposure to contaminated water at camp lejeune2
- Manifested within presumptive period2
- Service in southwest asia2
- Criteria for service connection met2
Most common reasons in denials
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service30
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim25
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis23
- Service records negative or silent11
- No continuity of symptomatology8
- No current diagnosis7
- Pulmonary function tests did not meet criteria for higher rating4
- Pulmonary function tests did not meet criteria for compensable rating4
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent sarcoidosis decisions
Granted
Criteria for 10 percent rating met; Evidence shows FEV-1/FVC ratio between 71-80%
Granted pursuant to PACT Act; Veteran served in Southwest Asia theater of operations; Presumed exposure to airborne hazards from burn pits
Favorable findings by RO: diagnosed disability, August 2024 VA exam shows sarcoidosis, service records show probability of asbestos exposure, TERA participation conceded.; Conflicting medical opinions: July 2023 VA opinion was less likely than not caused by TERA but lacked explanation; June 2024 private opinion provided positive nexus.; Board found private opinion competent and probative, tending to favor service connection.
Denied
VA examination found sarcoidosis less likely than not caused by TERA.; Diagnosis occurred over three decades after service.; Veteran did not serve in PACT Act qualifying locations for presumptive sarcoidosis.
Symptoms did not meet criteria for higher ratings under DC 6846 or 6600; Did not require corticosteroid treatment or demonstrate significant pulmonary impairment; Pulmonary function tests did not meet criteria for compensable rating
No current diagnosis of sarcoidosis or chronic respiratory condition; Early records indicated a differential diagnosis, not a confirmed diagnosis; Most persuasive evidence (2025/2026 exams) found no objective evidence or diagnosis
Rules that apply to sarcoidosis claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your sarcoidosis case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a sarcoidosis issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.