Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for service connection for refractive error and an initial compensable rating for dermatitis of both hands have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support these claims.

The Veteran's eczema is found to have had its onset in service, and the Board finds that service connection for eczema is warranted. The claim for sleep apnea secondary to PTSD is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The VA determined that the Veteran's tinea versicolor does not meet the criteria for a higher initial evaluation as it did not involve more than 20% of his entire body or exposed areas, and no systemic therapy was required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have osteoporosis, contact dermatitis of the face, or bilateral foot dermatophytosis with onychomycosis of the bilateral nails at any time since filing her claim for compensation. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including eczema, anxiety disorder, diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities (left and right), peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, are found to be disabling enough to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. As such, he is granted a TDIU.

The Board finds that the Veteran has a chronic variously diagnosed skin disability that became manifest in service and persists to the present time, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and providing a VA addendum opinion and examination.

The Veteran's topical steroids for his service-connected psoriasis caused irreparable damage to his outer garments, and the Board granted a clothing allowance based on this finding.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches and seborrheic dermatitis, have rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to their severity.

The Board found that the Veteran's skin disorder, other than pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chloracne, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with arthrosis, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity were denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for PTSD, a bilateral knee condition and a bilateral hip condition in July 2015.

The Veteran's atopic dermatitis and bilateral knee disabilities have been evaluated, but the evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy and a skin condition, including dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis, due to in-service herbicide exposure. Service connection for hypertension is dismissed.

The Veteran's dermatitis and furunculosis were rated at a noncompensable level prior to March 17, 2011. Since then, they have been rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for additional VA educational assistance benefits beyond 48 months, finding that she does not satisfy the exception for additional education benefits beyond the maximum due to her employment in a suitable position.

The VA examiner determined that the Veteran's stasis dermatitis is more likely secondary to his morbid obesity, not his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. Therefore, the claim for service connection for stasis dermatitis as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II is denied.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed seborrheic dermatitis is related to service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided that the case should be returned to the RO for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining updated medical records. The Veteran's claim of restoring her 60 percent rating for tinea versicolor will be reconsidered after these steps.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis has been rated at 10 percent since November 2008. The claim for PFB was denied, and the issue of reopening the low back pain claim is granted.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to ensure proper development of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, as well as scheduling new VA examinations for his lumbar spine, right hip, and eczema disabilities.