Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant an increased rating.

The Board denied all the veteran's claims for service connection, finding that there was no evidence of current disabilities or a link between any claimed conditions and his military service.

The veteran's hypertension, recurrent dermatitis, and multiple benign nevi were not incurred in or aggravated by his active service. The Board found no evidence of chronicity of these conditions during service or within one year after separation from service.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for bronchial asthma was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied as he is not shown to be unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae prior to April 4, 2005 is denied and a rating in excess of 10 percent since April 2005 is also denied.

The veteran's service-connected skin disability, tinea versicolor and tinea pedis with onychomycosis, is currently rated at 30 percent. The evidence does not support a higher rating as the condition has not met the criteria for a next-higher evaluation under DC 7806.

The Board has ordered additional development of the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and insufficient examination reports.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations were denied. The RO assigned noncompensable and 10 percent evaluations, respectively, for bilateral hearing loss and left hand frostbite residuals.

The VA determined that there is no evidence of active dermatitis or any current objective residual disability from the service-connected dermatitis, and thus denied a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional evidence received from the veteran and a request for clarification on hearing preferences.

The Board has determined that the veteran's stress fracture right proximal fibula warrants a 10 percent evaluation, and his skin disability warrants a 30 percent evaluation. The appeals for service connection for bilateral ankle disability and right shoulder disability have been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for lichen simplex chronicus, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and patchy alopecia. The veteran's skin conditions are considered to be related to his active military service in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for a lung disorder and tinea barbae, both of which the veteran contends are related to his exposure to Agent Orange during service. The Board found no evidence of current conditions or continuity of symptomatology since service.

The veteran had a service-connected disability (schizophrenia) and was receiving compensation benefits. After the veteran's death, his surviving spouse is entitled to retroactive payments based on his restored 100% rating for schizophrenia.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal because he did not timely file a substantive appeal regarding the November 2002 rating decision, which denied his claims for service connection and TDIU.

The veteran's chronic skin disorders are controlled with topical medications and occasional oral antibiotic medication, affecting less than 5 percent of the total body area. The Board denied a compensable rating for chronic dermatitis.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a peripheral vascular disease or psoriasis that is related to his military service, including as due to Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's initial ratings for panic disorder and skin disabilities have been denied as her symptoms do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher initial disability rating for eczema and service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's eczema was evaluated at 30 percent, which is the maximum available benefit. For his bilateral hearing loss, there was no evidence of a current disability meeting VA standards.

The veteran's service-connected folliculitis keloidalis nuchae, postoperative, warrants a 10 percent disability rating. The left knee condition remains at the maximum schedular evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5259.