Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2001

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension by reason of being housebound is denied as he does not meet the criteria for housebound benefits due to his ability to leave his home and perform basic self-care activities.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for seborrheic dermatitis is being remanded to the RO due to new requirements under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000. The RO must ensure all notification and development required by this law are completed, including obtaining clinical records from Dr. Finn and any VA outpatient care records.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his duodenal ulcer and tinea pedis, finding that the evidence does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne due to herbicide exposure during active military service. The low back disorder claim is remanded as it was not well-grounded in the previous rating decision.

The Board found that the veteran's acne conglobata and hidradenitis suppurativa were incurred as a result of wartime service, specifically exposure to Agent Orange during his Vietnam service. The decision granted the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a skin disease, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The veteran is seeking an increased disability rating for his service-connected dermatitis of the feet. The RO denied this claim in February 2001, and the Board has ordered remand due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination.

The Board granted an increased rating of 10 percent for the veteran's service-connected left toe disorder and denied a higher rating for his bilateral intertrigo.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for temporary total ratings based on periods of residence at COPIN in 1990 and denied his claim for annual clothing allowance for 1998.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and an increased rating for PTSD. The issues were related to inservice exposure to herbicides, but no specific evidence of such exposure was provided.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to new evidence submitted, but finds no current skin disorder and denies service connection.

The veteran is seeking an effective date prior to May 26, 1999 for a total rating due to unemployability caused by service-connected disability. The RO has granted this claim but only based on evidence of unemployability dated in August 1981, which was not considered when the May 1984 decision severed service connection for his psychiatric disability.

The veteran's contact dermatitis with mycosis fungoides is rated at 50 percent, the highest possible under VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed PTSD, low back disability, tinea versicolor, headache disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability are not related to service. The VA has made efforts to obtain the veteran's service medical records but was unable to locate them.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected conditions do not warrant an increased rating as they are currently asymptomatic or within normal limits.

The veteran's skin disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may in-service occurrence be presumed. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board granted service connection for seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, ears, eyebrows, sternum, ear canals, and gluteal cleft. The veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent was also granted.

The veteran's claims for service connection for nerve problems, fatigue, and skin rash due to undiagnosed illness have been denied as the conditions are not considered to be related to his military service.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected skin disability, which affects his feet, does not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection on all issues due to a lack of timely filed substantive appeal.