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

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne, which is secondary to Agent Orange exposure during the veteran's military service.

The veteran's fibromyalgia is granted with a rating of 40 percent, while his sinusitis and dermatological conditions are denied. The veteran's sleep apnea and obstructive lung disease were not found to be service-connected.

The veteran seeks service connection for a skin disability, including contact dermatitis and latex allergy. The Board has determined that additional development is needed due to incomplete medical records and the need for an examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30 percent rating for his service-connected eczematous dermatitis, finding that no earlier communication or evidence supported such a request.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for chloracne and other skin conditions, including acne vulgaris, nummular eczema, cystic acne, seborrhea, and graphaphilia, as secondary to exposure to herbicides. The Board found that there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service or during the applicable presumptive period.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a skin rash, claimed as chloracne on the chest, back, and between the legs as a result of Agent Orange exposure. The Board found that there was no evidence of chloracne or other acneform disease consistent with chloracne in service, and that any current skin conditions were not related to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and neurodermatitis, as well as his request for an increased rating for epididymitis. The decision also found that new evidence was not submitted to reopen the claim for PTSD.

The veteran's acne was not aggravated by service, and he is granted a 20 percent rating for his lumbosacral strain. He is also granted TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for variously diagnosed skin disorder, TMJ dysfunction, sleep apnea syndrome, respiratory disorder, and PTSD. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for postoperative residuals of left shoulder reconstruction, eczema, and bilateral Achilles tendonitis were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's right and left knee disorders have been granted increased ratings of 20 percent each, effective from the date of the decision. The PTSD claim is remanded to the RO for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and a skin disability. The decision also addressed other issues such as diabetes mellitus, hearing loss, and sleep apnea.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for bilateral onychomycosis of the toenails and an initial compensable rating for bilateral tinea pedis, finding that there was no objective evidence meeting the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable skin disorders rating criteria.

The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for acne keloidalis nuchae/folliculitis has been remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new examination by a VA examiner.

The veteran's skin condition (tinea versicolor and tinea corporis of the arms, chest, and back) is being reviewed due to incomplete service records. The VA will conduct a compensation and pension examination to determine if his current skin disorder is related to his service.

The veteran's migraine headaches were rated as noncompensable prior to July 2003 and 10 percent since then.,There is no current diagnosis of residual scarring on the left hand. The veteran reported a cut during service, but there was no follow-up treatment or evidence of scar formation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post traumatic stress disorder, a low back disability, a skin disability of the hands, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and a duodenal ulcer. The appeals were all denied as not having been substantiated by evidence.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, chloracne, and pityriasis rosea were denied. The evaluations for seborrheic dermatitis and diarrhea were also not granted by the RO.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to a total rating for compensation purposes based upon individual unemployability is being remanded due to incomplete notice and the need for additional medical examination.

The veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae has required systemic therapy (intralesional steroid injections) for more than six weeks but not constantly or near-constantly during the past 12-month period, meeting the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation under DC 7806.