Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic acne and cervical spine disorder claimed as neck pain require further development due to incomplete medical records and need additional examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling a dermatology examination to determine if the Veteran currently has any skin disorders related to service or herbicide exposure, and scheduling an orthopedic examination to determine if the Veteran currently has osteochondromas of the right scapula and/or right wrist. The case will be returned to the Board for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for bronchitis, reopening the claim and finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service illness. The other claims remain pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are deemed to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin disability, including facial scarring, cystic acne, and folliculitis, manifested during service and is related to his active duty. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the effective date for a 30 percent disability evaluation for PFB is March 6, 2006.

The Veteran's skin rash, diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitis involving the chest, face, and scalp with rosacea overlap and folliculitis on the lower abdomen and medial thighs, is considered to be causally related to his active military service. The Board finds that all requirements for service connection are met.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including consideration of a higher rating for hypertensive cardiovascular disease and SMC at the 'S' rate. The Veteran's claim for service connection for psoriasis is also being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's current skin disorders, which represents a complete grant of the benefit sought on appeal. The Board found that the Veteran's skin rash (diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitis) had its onset during his military service while in the Republic of Vietnam and has continued since service with subsequent development into multiple squamous cell carcinomas.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected conditions render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of service connection for dermatitis and an increased rating for polymyositis are pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, erectile dysfunction, and a skin disorder. The claim for residuals of dental trauma was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's tinea versicolor prior to July 7, 2010 did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA disability evaluation criteria.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for mechanical low back pain, as well as to obtain medical records related to the Veteran's pseudo-folliculitis barbae and PTSD. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling prior to February 3, 2009 and 20 percent disabling from that date. The Veteran's low back strain is currently rated as 10 percent disabling throughout the appeal period.,The Veteran's anterior neck scar is currently rated as noncompensable prior to February 3, 2009 and 10 percent disabling beginning on that date. The Veteran's seborrheic dermatitis is currently rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that none of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, dermatitis, erectile dysfunction, an acquired psychiatric disability (adjustment disorder with anxious and depressed mood and posttraumatic stress disorder), achalasia, and TMJ. The initial ratings assigned were also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to an error in not considering a specific regulation and the need to obtain updated medical records.

The Board found that the Veteran's headaches, kidney pain, chest pain, abdominal pain, tremors, and dermatitis are not disabilities eligible for service connection or have not been shown to be related to TCE exposure.

The Veteran is service-connected for multiple conditions and the Board finds that his service-connected disabilities make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.