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

The Board found no evidence of a current low back disability related to service, and denied the claim.,New evidence submitted since May 1997 did not provide new or material information that would reopen the chronic dermatitis claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for further development regarding the veteran's claim of service connection for chloracne, claimed as a residual of exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current eye or skin disorders to his active service, and thus denied both claims.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including additional examinations and consideration of the appropriate rating criteria.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of tinea manus was denied as there is no evidence that the veteran submitted a valid claim prior to September 19, 2000.

The veteran's appeal involves issues related to his service-connected dermatitis of the feet, including a request for an increased rating and a challenge to the reduction in evaluation. The case is being remanded due to several procedural deficiencies.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic skin condition, diagnosed as dyshidrotic eczema, was incurred in service and is therefore granted service connection.

The veteran's dysthymic disorder with somatization and anxiety disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that this rating does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of the appellant's claims for an increased rating for acne, upper back and service connection for tinea pedis.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting lower extremity thrombophlebitis and venous stasis dermatitis did not worsen during service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board denied an increased rating for bladder outlet obstruction and psoriasis, finding that the current ratings adequately reflect the veteran's disability.

The veteran's claim for service connection for acne due to herbicide exposure (claimed as Agent Orange exposure) is being remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinea cruris, finding no persuasive medical evidence indicating that his condition was incurred during or as a result of his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diagnosed skin disorder, psoriasis and pustular rash, can be satisfactorily linked to his period of active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his tinea pedis with onychomycosis was denied. The RO also addressed the issue of service connection for right and left knee disorders, but did not adjudicate it as secondary to service-connected hallux rigidus or tinea pedis. The case is being remanded to address these issues.

The veteran's service-connected psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis were evaluated, but the RO found that neither condition warranted a higher evaluation than currently assigned. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of idiopathic nonspecific dermatitis, finding that the earliest possible effective date is November 23, 2001.

The veteran is appealing from the initial evaluation assigned for his service-connected tinea cruris. The case has been remanded to allow for a VA examination and consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claim for malaria was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The skin disorder claim is pending as the exposure basis is not specified.

The Board has determined that the veteran's effective date for his TDIU should be set at July 20, 1998, as this is when he formally submitted a claim for such benefits.