Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae is related to his military service and grants this claim.

The Veteran's PFB has been granted service connection and is currently rated at a 10 percent rating for the period prior to February 9, 2009. The appeal continues as he seeks an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to obtain additional medical records and provide new VA examinations for the Veteran's hypothyroidism and dermatitis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. His bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent, peptic ulcer disease at 10 percent prior to September 11, 2008, and his skin disorder and psychiatric disorders were not found to be related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinea versicolor, indicating that he is seeking to establish CUE in a prior Board decision. As such, this issue is dismissed without prejudice.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining photographs from a previous VA examination and scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The Board denied service connection for allergies, to include as due to penicillin, and the claim for an earlier effective date for a 30% rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Veteran's allergies were not found to be related to penicillin use during service, and there was no evidence of continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board finds that the Veteran is in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, particularly PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy. The evidence shows that on 'bad days,' he requires assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and taking medications.

The Veteran's lichen simplex chronicus with nummular eczema, currently diagnosed as tinea cruris and lichen simplex chronicus, required constant or near-constant systemic therapy during the past 12-month period. The Veteran is now rated at 60 percent for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinea versicolor and assigned a 60 percent evaluation effective September 18, 2006. The Veteran's other claims have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for the residuals of his in-service testicle injury was denied. However, he was awarded an initial compensable rating (10%) for his service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psoriasis, a pre-existing condition, was incurred in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, as well as failure to establish a link between his current conditions and service.

The Veteran does not have a current prostate disorder or dermatitis, and the Board finds that service connection is denied for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for psoriasis, hypertension secondary to PTSD, sleep apnea secondary to PTSD, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities related to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's skin condition was not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current acne or bilateral ankle disabilities, and any pre-existing conditions did not worsen during service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's skin disability, characterized as tinea versicolor with onychomycosis and bilateral tinea pedis, is currently rated at 30 percent disabling. The evidence does not show the need for systemic therapy or other criteria warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for tinea pedis and cruris was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling of VA examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for higher initial disability ratings and service connection claims. The issues of PTSD, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left leg radiculopathy, right knee degenerative joint disease, tinea corpora, premature ejaculation disorder (secondary to PTSD), and dyspepsia (secondary to PTSD) were all denied.