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

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, left ankle disability, and plantar warts. Service connection was granted for tinea pedis.

The veteran is seeking service connection for chloracne, which he claims is related to his in-service exposure to herbicides. The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to obtain a medical opinion on the relationship between the current condition and military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and asthma were denied in March 1985. The RO granted service connection for lumbar strain, acne scars on both cheeks, a left ankle disability, acne scars of the back, and rhinitis with an effective date of September 15, 2004.

The veteran's current foot problems, PTSD, and hearing loss are not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The veteran's claims for PTSD and other conditions were granted, with the presumption of service connection due to his military service in the Southwest Asia theater during the Gulf War.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the service-connected eczema, actinic keratosis, and basal cell carcinoma since August 29, 2002. The veteran's disability picture prior to this date did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was not reopened, and his claims for increased ratings for sinusitis, residuals of nasal fracture, dermatitis of the back, and right wrist ganglion cyst were denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for sinusitis is set at February 23, 2005.,The veteran's claim for an increase in rating for his service-connected residuals of a nasal fracture was granted with an effective date of September 20, 2002.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities were evaluated and denied, with no specific effective dates provided.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinea versicolor with residual scarring and service connection for hysterectomy residuals. The issues of entitlement to service connection for anxiety disorder and scoliosis were not perfected.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C and atopic dermatitis, finding no evidence of a nexus to service. The claim for atopic dermatitis was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of impotency with erectile dysfunction and tinea pedis and cruris (groin rash) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic dermatitis of the right below-the-knee amputation site, finding it proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected left knee disability.

The veteran's claim for service connection for chloracne as due to Agent Orange exposure is granted. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the neck is denied. The rating for PTSD prior to February 12, 2007, remains at 50 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and thus denies his claim for a TDIU rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral onychomycosis of the toenails and tinea pedis of the left foot do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent since the effective date of service connection, as there is no evidence of systemic therapy or more than 20% of exposed areas affected.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating and earlier effective date for his service-connected skin disorders was denied. The RO granted service connection and assigned a 30 percent disability rating, effective January 31, 2000.

The Board denied the extension of a temporary total disability evaluation beyond August 31, 2004 due to left wrist surgery convalescence and the TDIU claim.

The Board found that the veteran's chloracne of his face and neck does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation than 30 percent, as it does not result in visible or palpable tissue loss, gross distortion or asymmetry of features, or any other characteristic of disfigurement. The condition is also not exceptionally repugnant.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional evaluations of her service-connected right shoulder, lumbar spine, and skin disorders due to new information in the medical record.