Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2008

The veteran's increased rating claims for acne vulgaris and bronchitis were denied by the RO. The clothing allowance claim was also denied.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability evaluation for the veteran's service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae, herpes zoster, rosacea, acne vulgaris, and eczema as of July 12, 2007.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and granted service connection for a skin condition rated 0 percent. The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for lumbosacral strain was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have seborrheic dermatitis or dystrophic toenails that are related to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 20, 1997, for the grant of service connection for aquagenic pruritis.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple conditions, with the exception of tinnitus which was assigned a 10% evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's skin disorder, diagnosed as psoriasis, did not have its onset in service and is not related to exposure to VX nerve agent during participation in Project 112 operational tests. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his military service and have denied all of his claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a diagnosed disability of the left hand, and thus service connection for this condition is denied. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for facial acne was also addressed but no new information or evidence was provided, so it remains in its current state.

The veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and initial compensable evaluations are being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice.

The veteran's claims for a compensable rating for tinea cruris, service connection for PTSD, and service connection for a neurological disorder due to Gulf War exposure were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD or a current neurological disorder related to Gulf War service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for chloracne due to Agent Orange exposure was denied, and his TDIU rating prior to January 7, 2005, was also denied.

The veteran seeks an effective date earlier than July 23, 2004 for the grant of service connection for chloracne. The Board finds that there is no legal basis to assign an effective date before July 23, 2004 based on a pending claim and assigns the decision as denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral blurry vision with a right eye cataract, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hip disability were denied. The Board found that the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Board found that the rating reduction from 50 to 30 percent for dermatitis of the hands was proper, and denied an evaluation in excess of 30 percent. The claim for reopening service connection for cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disorders was granted.

The veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent, and he was granted a compensable evaluation for PFB prior to October 10, 2006. Since that date, the veteran has been assigned a 10 percent rating for his service-connected PFB.

The Board has granted service connection for psoriasis, finding that new and material evidence supports reopening the claim. The veteran's unit operated in waters where Vietnamese regularly defecated and urinated, which may be related to his current psoriasis.

The Board granted a 60 percent rating for psoriasis effective August 30, 2002. The veteran's right knee injury is rated at 10 percent. TDIU was denied.

The veteran died from pneumonia, which was not service-connected. The Board denied DIC benefits as the cause of death was not related to service and there were no pending claims for accrued benefits at the time of his death.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae, as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the current or former Diagnostic Codes for skin disorders. The veteran's condition is currently rated at 10 percent.