Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2014

The Veteran's service-connected HIV with recurrent folliculitis is currently rated at 30 percent effective September 20, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected tinea versicolor requires ongoing use of prescribed ointment that causes irreparable damage to his outer garments, which meets the criteria for an annual clothing allowance.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and to obtain updated VA treatment records. The issues of PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and pseudofolliculitis barbae will be addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including adjustment disorder with depressed mood, tinea versicolor, tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unemployable due to his medical conditions. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined 90% disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for chronic dermatitis of the hands and feet is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for periodontal disease, tinea pedis, left eye blemish, and onychomycosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin condition, including dermatitis of bilateral legs, is secondary to his service-connected PTSD and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for tinea pedis has been withdrawn.,Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss, with the issue being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was reopened and granted. The Veteran is now rated at 60 percent for eczema, which covers more than 40% of the entire body. He also received a compensable rating for hemorrhoids due to their large size and frequent recurrence.

The Veteran's current penile dermatitis is found to have begun during active service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. The thoracolumbar spine disorder claim remains pending as remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a gastrointestinal disorder and pseudofolliculitis barbae are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA examination opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are mixed, with some issues granted and others not. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome or any other qualifying chronic disability that could be presumed due to undiagnosed illness in the Gulf War environment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for her service-connected posttraumatic headaches and eczema remain in appellate status as the VA has not yet adjudicated them. The Board finds that a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The Veteran's claims for radiculopathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, sciatica of the bilateral lower extremities, and perifolliculitis are remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied the reopening of claims for service connection for tinea versicolor, conjunctivitis, presbyopia, and urinary tract infections. The claim for a right hand disability was previously denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Veteran's service connection claim for pseudofolliculitis barbae has been granted. The Board finds that the condition is of service origin.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD and lumbar spine degenerative disc disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for bilateral hand disorder, CTS, sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea), skin disorder, TMJ, conjunctivitis, and bilateral foot disorder. However, these claims are reopened due to the submission of additional evidence related to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims.