Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected psoriasis was denied because he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran's dermatitis and actinic keratosis of the bilateral upper extremities are service-connected. The left hand scar, seizure disorder, and arthritis of the cervical spine and shoulders are not service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to evaluate the nature and etiology of any scars related to his folliculitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD. An opinion regarding whether his service-connected disabilities affect his employability will also be obtained.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from the Veteran's last employer and a VA examination to address all complications of his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. The timeliness of appeals regarding hypertension, solar elastosis/tinea cruris/asteatosis, and PTSD are also addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar strain, right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatic nerve impairment of the lower extremities, and a lumbar spine disability, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. His heart murmur is not considered a disability for VA purposes.

The Board found that the Veteran's skin conditions, including seborrheic keratosis and eczema, are not caused or aggravated by service or exposure to herbicides. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a skin condition, other than PFB, was granted. The effective date is set at the date of receipt of his claim on February 18, 2011.,CUE in the October 1970 rating decision denying service connection for PFB and CUE in the March 2000 and April 2000 rating decisions assigning effective dates for PTSD and TDIU were not found.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a disability of the feet, other than left little toe fracture residuals is denied as there is no evidence that his current condition is related to service. The Veteran's addiction to pain medication secondary to service-connected orthopedic disabilities is also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA skin examination. The Veteran's claim will be adjudicated again based on the additional evidence.

The Veteran's skin conditions of the feet and body are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if they are related to his presumed herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board found that the Veteran's fibromyalgia warranted a 40% evaluation from August 19, 2013 onwards. The claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, skin disorder (eczema), and migraine headaches were granted, while the claim for endometriosis was also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing at the RO. The issues include seeking higher ratings for his service-connected skin condition and reopening claims related to personal assault.

The Veteran's skin disability, including eczema and tinea pedis, is not service-connected as it may be due to in-service herbicide exposure. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD and the TDIU claim are also denied.

The Veteran's service connection for a gynecological condition, hypertension, and tinea pedis has been granted. The initial ratings for hypertension (10%) and tinea pedis (10%) have also been assigned.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder other than post-radiation dermatitis was reopened, and his diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent. The earlier effective date for SMC based on the loss of use of a creative organ is denied. His TDIU claim remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD, migraine headaches, cervical spine degenerative changes including disc protrusion and myositis, right carpal tunnel syndrome, erectile dysfunction, dermatitis and tinea versicolor (previously shown as pityriasis versicolor), and arthritis have been granted service connection. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for increased ratings in excess of 30 percent prior to July 25, 2010, and in excess of 50 percent thereafter, for depressive disorder.

The Board finds that the Veteran's skin disorder, including Well's syndrome and chronic dermatitis, is related to his service. The preponderance of evidence supports this finding.

The Veteran's skin disability, diagnosed as tinea versicolor, is not related to service or exposure to herbicides. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a combined rating in excess of 20 percent for his right knee disability has been withdrawn. The case is being remanded to determine if the Veteran was unemployable due to service-connected disabilities prior to November 2009.