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

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a skin disorder and granted service connection for residuals of frostbite to his hands, finding that there is reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. The increased rating claims for dermatitis of the hands and allergic rhinitis with sinusitis are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's skin disability, characterized as disseminated eczema, is secondary to his service-connected tinea pedis. The Board denied service connection for tinea versicolor but granted service connection for the Veteran's current skin condition (disseminated eczema). The effective date of service connection remains May 19, 2000.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for bruxism, but not for tinea pedis or pulmonary scarring.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed skin conditions (eczema and tinea pedis) are not related to his military service or exposure to herbicides. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic dermatitis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is a continuation of his in-service symptomatology and resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions and for obtaining any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's dyshidrotic eczema of the feet did not meet or approximate criteria for a compensable rating, as it affected less than 5% of his total body area and exposed areas. The disability was treated with topical creams and did not require systemic therapy.

The Veteran's service connection for tinea cruris and tinea pedis has been granted. The Board finds that the Veteran is entitled to a rating in excess of 10 percent for his migraines prior to June 21, 2012.

The Board has vacated its September 2012 decision regarding the effective date for service connection of prostate cancer and denied all other claims. The Veteran's prostate cancer was not granted earlier than September 5, 2002, as he did not submit a claim prior to that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for TDIU and basic eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's skin rash, diagnosed as tinea cruris, was treated at the Lee Memorial Hospital emergency room on April 23, 2013. The treatment met the criteria for reimbursement due to it being a medical emergency and no VA facility was feasibly available.

The Board has ordered a supplemental opinion to determine if the Veteran's skin conditions are related to or aggravated by his military service, and whether he experienced sun exposure or extreme weather in service that resulted in his skin condition.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and kidney disability (residuals of kidney stones) have been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal concerning service connection for chloracne has been dismissed. The claim for an earlier effective date for the 100% rating of PTSD with MDD is denied.

The Veteran's acne affecting the face and neck is rated at 50% since the entire appeal period, while his acne affecting the posterior trunk is rated at 10% from November 1, 2014.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for PTSD, pseudofolliculitis, increased rating for hemorrhoids, and bowel incontinence secondary to prostate cancer.

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 obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for an examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further review by the Director of Compensation Service due to his service-connected knee disabilities preventing him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at zero percent, but the Board finds no evidence of a compensable level of disability during the appeal period.,The Veteran's tinea pedis, mycotic nails with paronychia, and eczema are each rated at zero percent as they do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 7806, 7899-7806, and 7806 respectively.