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

The VA has determined that the veteran does not have any currently diagnosed conditions related to his service, including residuals of right and left palmar bruises, contact dermatitis, or cervical strain. Therefore, these claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have chloracne or peripheral neuropathy, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected tinea versicolor does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes. The current 10% rating is appropriate given the nature and extent of his skin condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to scheduling issues, including rescheduling a video conference hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne and the veteran's claim of an increased rating for acne vulgaris is remanded due to conflicting diagnoses and lack of proper VCAA notice.

The Board denied an increased rating for folliculitis barbae and found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen claims for service connection of gastrointestinal disorder (claimed as a gastric condition) and schizophrenia (previously claimed as a nervous condition).

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as his combined disability rating is 80%, which meets the minimum schedular criteria but does not meet the requirement of preventing him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected dermatophytosis of the hands and feet, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for acne vulgaris has been denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 7828 or 7800.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for alcoholism as secondary to PTSD, left hand ulnar neuropathy, tinea pedis (claimed as jungle rot of the feet), and jungle rot of the right hand. The evidence did not establish a current disability or a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted a 30 percent disability rating for eczema, effective August 30, 2002. The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and bruxism are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under either the old or current VA rating criteria.

The veteran's skin disorder was rated at 10 percent prior to November 23, 2005 and is not entitled to a higher rating. The case is remanded for further development.