Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2005

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, rhinitis, gastritis with GERD, arthritis of both hands, lumbar strain, strained right shoulder with slap lesion, and tinea pedis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current disability in any of these conditions.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected skin disability and determine if it affects more than topical therapy. The RO will also consider whether additional evidence should be obtained.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected acne vulgaris, as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the current VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for major depression, increased ratings for his left knee disability and psoriasis. The evidence did not support a finding of chronic depression in service or any other basis for service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings of GERD and Tinea Versicolor were denied, while his claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder was also denied. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA treatment records and missing Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The veteran's claims for PTSD, chloracne, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and a nervous disorder are being reviewed.

The Board finds that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and thus denies his claim for TDIU.

The veteran's seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp was rated at 30 percent disabling effective September 29, 2000. Prior to this date, he received a 10 percent rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied. The RO also denied an increased rating for PTSD from October 15, 2002.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinea pedis with onychomycosis of the lower legs warrants a 50 percent disability rating, effective from February 14, 2001.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, including cardiovascular disease due to undiagnosed illness and rhinitis. The effective date of the increased rating for residuals of tonsillectomy was not changed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acne vulgaris does not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent, as there is no evidence of deep acne or extensive scarring on the face and neck.

The veteran's service-connected dermatophytosis has no current manifestations, and the Board finds that a rating in excess of 30 percent is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently have an anal fissure and denied service connection for this condition. The issues of entitlement to higher initial evaluations for right shoulder, left knee, coccyx, and tinea pedis disabilities are addressed in a separate remand.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a hearing at the RO before a traveling Veterans Law Judge.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation training due to his current employment and lack of an employment handicap despite having service-connected disabilities.

The VA denied an increased disability rating for the veteran's acne cystica of the face and back, maintaining a 30 percent rating since January 1997. The RO found that the condition did not meet criteria warranting higher ratings based on ulceration or extensive exfoliation.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for a dermatological disorder, manifested by hyperpigmented lesions on the arms and torso; cystic acne; and tinea corporis. These conditions are attributed to his active military duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cystic acne did not meet the criteria for a 50% rating prior to December 6, 1995. Therefore, an earlier effective date is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum to a VA examination report and ensuring all evidence is considered. The veteran's skin disorders are currently diagnosed but their relationship to service or Agent Orange exposure needs further clarification.