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

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records. The dental disability claim will be reviewed based on whether the missing teeth are related to service trauma, while the pseudofolliculitis barbae claim requires a new examination to assess current severity and treatment.

The veteran's anxiety and depression are rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum available rating under Diagnostic Code 9400.,Migraines have been rated at 10 percent since August 27, 2007, and 30 percent thereafter. The current rating adequately reflects the severity of this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for memory loss and pseudofolliculitis barbae, finding no chronic disabilities or evidence of in-service injury that could be linked to current conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a right eye disability and assigned an initial noncompensable rating. The veteran's seborrheic dermatitis is currently rated at 10 percent, effective February 5, 2004.

The Board has granted service connection for vasomotor rhinitis, nummular eczema, and migraine cephalgia with blurred vision. The claim for service connection for actinic keratosis is remanded due to the submission of new evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinea pedis with calluses does not warrant a compensable rating, and his right foot condition does not meet the criteria for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The veteran's Crohn's disease, bilateral hip degenerative joint disease, and pseudofolliculitis barbae were all granted service connection with initial evaluations of 10 percent. The RO has not found any basis to grant higher ratings for these conditions.

The veteran's claim of service connection for a skin disorder other than chloracne was denied in March 1995, and the Board found that no new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen this claim. The veteran's hypertension was not related to service or secondary to any service-connected disability. The veteran's Hepatitis C was not related to service.,The veteran's hypertension is not related to service as there is no evidence of its onset during service, and the preponderance of the evidence indicates that it developed many years after separation from service.

The veteran's case is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a travel or videoconference hearing before the Board at the RO due to his failure to appear in December 2007.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acne, claimed as a result of exposure to herbicides during service, was not shown in service or currently shown. The evidence does not support a finding that any current acne is related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's skin disability, manifested as cystic acne, is not related to his period of active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chloracne and hypertension, both of which are not associated with herbicide exposure. The VA examiner found no current diagnosis of chloracne or other acneform disease consistent with chloracne, and concluded that any skin conditions were unrelated to military service. For hypertension, there is insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the condition and military service.

The veteran's appeal involves disagreement with the initial 20 percent disability rating assigned for his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, with associated complications. The Board has remanded the case to allow for further development and consideration of whether a higher rating is warranted on an extra-schedular basis.

The veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for his service-connected skin rash is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of recent treatment records.

The veteran's pseudofolliculitis and associated scarring are productive of a disability rating of 50 percent, the highest available under current regulations.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded to allow for additional development of his medical records and a VA examination.

The veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for hyperhidrosis of both feet with tinea pedis is being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence and clarification regarding his treatment.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date prior to July 30, 2002 for a 30 percent disability evaluation for atopic dermatitis. The issues of TDIU termination and increased evaluations for PTSD, neurological syndrome, fibromyalgia-like illness, and arthritis remain pending.

The veteran's eczematous scalp lesions are currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted.,The veteran's disability of the left lower extremity, manifested by lupus anticoagulant positive with recurrent deep venous thrombosis and spider veins, is also currently rated as 10 percent. The Board finds that a higher rating than 10 percent is not warranted.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and denied higher initial ratings for right ear disability, tinea versicolor, and anxiety state. The veteran's left eye condition was not granted service connection.