Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2004

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or by reason of being housebound.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his skin condition, diagnosed as contact dermatitis and psoriasis, was denied by the RO. The current evaluation is at 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a need for additional notification and examination, as well as clarification of the veteran's claims.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected acne vulgaris is being remanded due to regulatory changes and notification issues.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating, finding that his skin disorder did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent based on the applicable schedular criteria.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of tinea pedis is being remanded due to the need for additional development and compliance with VCAA requirements.

The Board has determined that the appellant's chloracne is a presumptively service-connected condition due to exposure to herbicides, and thus grants the claim.

The Board denied both the claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for dermatitis and onychomycosis of the feet, as well as the claim for an effective date earlier than March 2, 2001, for the grant of service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disorder and granted service connection for several other disorders, including hearing loss, tinnitus, pneumothorax residuals, abdomen disorder, penis numbness, and skin disorder (chloracne).

The Board finds that the veteran does not have a current skin disorder of the hands, including as a result of exposure to Agent Orange. The veteran's service medical records are devoid of any findings of head trauma inservice and he denied having sustained any head injury at VA examinations.,There is no competent evidence demonstrating the presence of a separate psychiatric disorder manifested by depression.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that while the veteran had a service-connected condition (post-traumatic stress disorder), it did not contribute to or cause his death from coronary artery disease.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals denied the veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for psoriasis.

The Board found that the veteran does not have chronic tinea pedis due to disease or injury incurred in service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a rash, finding that there is no evidence of chronic disability due to an undiagnosed illness and concluding that folliculitis and furunculosis are known diagnoses not related to service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's case for additional development, including compliance with new notice requirements and VA examinations to assess his service-connected conditions. The TDIU issue is held in abeyance.

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently diagnosed chloracne is a result of exposure to herbicides during service, including Agent Orange. As such, the claim for service connection for chloracne is granted.

The Board denied service connection for tinea cruris and post traumatic stress disorder. The decision found no positive association between the disorders and herbicide exposure, nor any evidence linking them to service.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting mild acne vulgaris did not worsen during his service from July 1974 to September 1991, and thus granted service connection for this condition.