Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2009

The appeal must be remanded to afford the Veteran a VA examination as there is insufficient evidence to determine if his psoriasis is related to Agent Orange exposure during service.

The Veteran's acne keloids of the posterior scalp were rated at 30 percent from December 20, 2002, and a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was not established.

The Board reopens the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, a skin disorder characterized as rashes, abnormal growths, and an excised cyst on the tail bone, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and shrinking testicles. It then addresses these claims on their merits.,Service connection is denied for a right chest lump, residuals of exposure to sarin oil and nerve agents, smoke inhalation, radiation exposure, irritable bowel syndrome, and tinea cruris.

The veteran's psoriasis does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent, as it affects less than 40 percent of the entire body or exposed areas and does not require constant or near-constant systemic therapy.

The veteran's tinea, affecting less than 20 percent of the body and not requiring systemic therapy, does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board granted service connection for tinea cruris, finding that the evidence established a current disability and a nexus to service. The claim for COPD was denied as there is no evidence linking it to active service.

The Board denied a compensable initial rating for bilateral tinea pedis and onychomycosis as the evidence did not show that the disability involved at least 5 percent of the entire body, exposed areas affected, or use of intermittent systemic therapy.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is rated at 50 percent, while other conditions remain non-service-connected.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for PTSD, but the Veteran does not currently meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and a skin condition were denied as there is no competent evidence of record etiologically linking these conditions to his service or any incident therein.

The Board denied service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome with median neuropathy and seborrheic dermatitis and rosacea as they were not shown to be due to an event or incident during the Veteran's period of active service, nor was there evidence of exposure to herbicides that could have caused these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings on both conditions, thus the Board has no further jurisdiction in these matters.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and readjudication of the Veteran's claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's recurrent eczema/atopic dermatitis began during active service, but there is no evidence linking a current diagnosis of tinea pedis to any incident of service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II with erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, onychomycosis and psoriasis, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities was denied as a matter of law.

The Board denied service connection for a skin condition, specifically claimed as eczema, finding that the condition was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board found that a 70 percent initial evaluation was warranted for the Veteran's service-connected PTSD due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas of his life.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder with dyspepsia, seborrheic dermatitis claimed as skin rash, jungle rot, and chloracne, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. However, it has denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension, sleep apnea, skin disorder (chloracne/sebaceous hyperplasia), right hip disorder and bilateral neuropathy of the feet were not related to his service or any service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for tinea pedis, as the condition did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's claims to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a right elbow disorder, a right shoulder disorder, PTSD, hepatitis C, a right eye disorder, an ulcer, a scar of the right shoulder, and tinea versicolor were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.