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

The Board has granted a higher initial evaluation of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected atopic dermatitis with lichen simplex chronicus, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations of his tinea versicolor and malaria disabilities, as well as service connection for PTSD. The appeal is pending further development under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and contact dermatitis (claimed as a skin disorder) due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for a disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including migraine headaches, a gynecological disorder, a psychiatric disorder, tinnitus with vertigo, rhinitis, sinusitis, a dermatological disorder defined as acne or eczema vulgaris, and fibromyalgia. The RO also denied an increased disability rating for service-connected joint pain and stiffness of the right hand, right wrist, and both knees, as due to an undiagnosed illness.

The veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a higher rating for dermatitis. The decision is mixed, with some issues granted and others not.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current skin condition, psoriasiform dermatitis, is not related to any service-connected or service-incurred conditions and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's neurodermatitis did not start during service and is not attributable to any injury or disease in service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The medical evidence does not support a finding of service connection for this condition.

The veteran's claim for service connection for various symptoms, including skin rashes, viral warts, sores and lumps on the head with folliculitis, jaundice of the eyes, gingivitis, muscle contraction headaches and vascular headaches, joint and muscle pain, back pain, atypical noncardiac chest pain, frequent urination, recurrent diarrhea, hair loss, depressive disorder, fatigue, blurred vision, allergic rhinitis with sinusitis, sensitivity to chemical sprays, stress, and memory loss, is being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected skin disorder (tinea with onychomycosis), which is currently rated at 10 percent. The condition involves fungal infections primarily affecting the feet and toenails, hands and fingernails, and occasionally the groin area.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for peripheral neuropathy and dermatitis with herpes simplex, as secondary to herbicide exposure. The veteran's contentions were found insufficient to establish a link between his current conditions and service or herbicide exposure.

The veteran's accrued benefits for a period of two years based on his service-connected disability, rated at 80 percent disabling, are granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder, including chloracne, secondary to Agent Orange exposure was denied. The evidence did not support the presence of such a condition.

The veteran's service-connected eczematous dermatitis of the palms and feet is rated at 30 percent, effective March 12, 1997.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations were denied. Lung disorders, including emphysema, are not related to service or tobacco use. Psoriasis and knee disabilities do not meet the criteria for increased ratings.

The veteran's skin disability, previously rated as zero percent disabling due to dermatitis herpetiformis, is now rated at 10 percent based on occasional exacerbations causing itching and involvement of an extensive area including the trunk and legs.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence. The appeals were limited to reopening existing claims, not resolving the merits of the service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for intermittent diplopia due to orbital fracture of the left eye and tinea. The veteran's diplopia is considered correctable, while his tinea involves an exposed surface and extensive area but does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinea pedis, bilateral defective hearing, and plantar corns of both feet were denied by the RO. The case is now remanded to schedule VA examinations and consider the claim under both the former and revised applicable schedular criteria.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for GBS and tinea versicolor, finding that there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.