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

The Veteran's dermatitis of the right arm, axilla, and neck is currently rated at 10 percent disabling due to its coverage of 5 to 20 percent of her exposed area. The condition requires constant or near-constant topical corticosteroids in the past 12 months.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and chloracne, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease, no continuity of symptoms after service separation, and no association between the current disabilities and military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic right ankle sprain, and entitlement to compensable disability ratings for pseudofolliculitis barbae, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current right ankle disability or any in-service injury that could be linked to the Veteran's current conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability of the bilateral feet, claimed as dermatitis, is being remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral tinea pedis with onychomycosis was granted. However, the Board found that there is no evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, thus denying his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of bilateral breast reduction surgery is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has scarring due to her in-service breast reduction surgery, which meets the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae and gastrointestinal manifestations in myotonic muscular dystrophy is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and clarifying the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, effective from March 28, 2012. Service connection for a rash, including eczema, due to PTSD, is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current tinea pedis and dermatitis are related to active military service, resolving all benefit of doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for tinea pedis was denied, but he received an effective date of July 14, 2005 for the award of service connection for radiculopathy and weakness in the left lower extremity associated with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no current conditions that met the criteria for service connection, except for migraine headaches and erectile dysfunction (ED) with Peyronie's disease.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn. The claims for service connection for asbestos exposure, a left knee disability, and the reopening of service connection for blurred vision, bronchitis, right tibial stress injury, and hearing loss of the right ear are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his hand disabilities were denied. The Board found that the current residuals of an in-service injury to the left hand are not related to military service, and that dermatitis venenata does not meet criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tension headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), have been denied due to a lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed in-service stressors.

The Veteran's dermatitis has been rated at 60 percent since February 18, 2014 due to more than 40% of the entire body or exposed areas being affected.

The Board has granted a separate rating for a skin disorder associated with the Veteran's service-connected Reiter's Syndrome, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his Reiter's Syndrome.

The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae was first diagnosed during service and has been present since then. The Board finds that the disorder began in service and is therefore service-connected.

The case is being remanded for further development and examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including skin rash, generalized musculoskeletal and joint pain, and semen abnormality. The appeal will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinea pedis, chronic kidney disease with kidney failure, peripheral vascular disease of the bilateral lower and upper extremities, and hypertension. The decision was based on the lack of evidence supporting a secondary service connection theory.