Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the veteran's preexisting ichthyosis condition was not aggravated by service, and his current skin disorders (contact dermatitis, asteatotic dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis) were not shown to be related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for service-connected eczema of the hands, effective from July 21, 1997. The veteran's claim was well-grounded and VA satisfied its duty to assist in developing these claims.

The Board has determined that service connection is granted for seborrheic dermatitis of the face, but not for degenerative changes of the thoracic spine.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for acne vulgaris and left knee disability, finding that there was no well-grounded evidence to support these claims. The right knee claim is remanded due to a lack of recent medical records.

The VA has determined that the veteran's post-cerebral concussion with anxiety reaction, headaches, and tinnitus does not warrant an increased rating beyond the current 30 percent. The veteran's tinea versicolor and tinea pedis are currently rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including fatigue, dermatitis of the feet, and upper gastrointestinal disability are granted due to their being related to undiagnosed illnesses possibly associated with service in the Southwest Asia theater during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board found that the veteran's substantive appeal was timely filed, and thus granted his claims for service connection for right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and right ankle disorder. The claim for an increased rating for psoriasis remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and a cancerous growth on the right side of the head are not well grounded.,Regarding PTSD, the Board found that the veteran did not meet the criteria to establish service connection due to lack of combat experience or verified stressor.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, tinea pedis, and frostbite of the feet. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection for heart disorder, skin disorder, and parenchymal nodule on the left lung are not well grounded. The evidence does not support a finding of current disability or a link to service.

The Board has granted a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD, finding that the veteran's symptoms have resulted in considerable industrial impairment. The claim for service connection for schizophrenia is moot due to the grant of an increased rating for PTSD.

The veteran's appeals for higher evaluations and service connection have been withdrawn. The claims for left ankle, right wrist, and allergic rhinitis/sinusitis disabilities are well-grounded.

The May 10, 1974 rating decision did not involve clear and unmistakable error in denying a compensable rating for fragment wound residuals.,The January 2, 1981 rating decision did not involve clear and unmistakable error in denying a compensable rating for folliculitis of the back.

The Board found that the veteran's chloracne, a condition presumed to be caused by exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, is service-connected. However, there was insufficient evidence linking his peripheral neuropathy to active service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions are not well-grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for folliculitis and found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen his claim for service connection for a left knee condition.

The RO denied increased evaluations for PTSD and pustular folliculitis, finding the initial ratings of 30% and 10%, respectively, to be proper.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection were not well grounded, as there was no evidence of current non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or chloracne disabilities. The claims for direct service connection and secondary to herbicide exposure were denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are well-grounded and have been granted. The veteran is found to have current disabilities including bilateral defective hearing, tinnitus, low back pain, and dermatitis, all of which were incurred in service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinea cruris with a history of tinea versicolor and denied service connection for residuals of a left knee disability. The veteran's claim to reopen the residuals of left knee disability was not considered due to failure to follow remand directives.