Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is evaluated at a 30 percent rating, which reflects occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. The Veteran has not met the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to incomplete examinations and the need for addendum opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been granted. The anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective from June 26, 2006. Service connection has been established for residuals of tuberculosis, with a current rating of 10 percent.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an updated VA opinion regarding the appellant's skin disabilities, including those diagnosed during the appeal period. The opinion must reconcile with previous examinations and address the June 30, 2008 VA treatment note.

The Veteran's skin disorder, including neurodermatitis, eczema, dermatophytosis (tinea), psoriasis vulgaris, tinea curis and pedis, and vitiligo, was rated at 30 percent prior to February 29, 2008. Effective February 29, 2008, the Veteran's skin disorder warranted a rating of 60 percent.

The Board finds that the Veteran's skin conditions of the feet and back, as well as his respiratory disorder (sinusitis with headaches), are at least as likely as not related to service. The claims for these conditions are therefore granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected chloracne warrants a compensable rating of 10 percent, effective from January 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin problems, irritable bowel syndrome, and sinusitis are related to his active service. The other conditions remain unresolved.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) prior to and after January 14, 2009.

The Veteran claims service connection for a skin disorder, including xerodermatitis, actinic keratosis, and porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT), due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of any current skin disorders.

The Veteran was awarded a 30 percent rating for his service-connected skin disability from June 29, 2006 to June 28, 2007 due to systemic therapy required for more than six weeks during the past 12-month period. Since July 19, 2010, he is rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chloracne may be presumed to have been incurred during his active service due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including lumbar stenosis with herniated disc and radiculitis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of frostbite to both hands, residuals of frostbite to both feet, and left lower shin dermatitis. The case will be returned to the RO after completion of this development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus pre-existed his military service and was not aggravated by any incident of his active service. The other disorders of the bilateral feet were also not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's neurodermatitis was manifested by symptoms involving less than 20 percent of the total body surface or exposed areas affected, and he did not require use of systemic therapy for a total duration of 6 weeks over a 12-month period. As such, his claim for an increased rating for service-connected neurodermatitis is denied.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran was granted service connection for a skin condition (acne keloidalis nuchae), residuals of left foot fracture, and bilateral hearing loss disability. Service connection for hypertension was not established.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder, including chloracne, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for a urinary or prostate disorder, including enuresis, benign prostatic hypertrophy, nocturia, and urinary incontinence, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim for an initial compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae was also denied.

The Veteran's skin disorder and back disability are being remanded for further examination and evaluation, as the current evidence does not fully address whether these conditions are related to his service in Southwest Asia.