Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, lower back disability, and pseudofolliculitis barbae due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the submission of additional evidence after the most recent Statements of the Case. The AOJ will clarify the Veteran’s desires regarding his restored ratings, as well as his satisfaction with the rating assigned for GERD.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including right and left knee conditions, hypertension, PFB, jungle rot, and a skin disorder on the left scalp. The Veteran's reports during his hearing will be considered in determining the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for broken right and left feet, as well as a low back disorder (DDD of the lumbar spine L5-S1) are denied. The claim for tinea versicolor is reopened but remains pending.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder (MDD) is also pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and an earlier effective date are being remanded due to the addition of new VA treatment records that need to be considered.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and the need for further examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of left foot swelling and right and left knee disabilities were denied. The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for his service-connected folliculitis of the scalp was increased to 10 percent, but he is seeking a higher rating. The Board has decided that more evidence is needed and remanded the case.

Service connection for PTSD is granted. Service connection for hypertension and OSA are denied, as the evidence does not support a link to service or service-connected conditions. Service connection for chronic disability manifested by poor circulation, to include stasis dermatitis, is also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and the need for VA examinations. The claims will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding an initial compensable disability rating for service-connected eczema and denied his request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for eczema.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain VA examinations and opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions, including peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin condition. The examinations will address whether these conditions are related to service or any other relevant factors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ADD and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for skin disability are denied. The claim for a higher rating for skin disability is remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for psoriasis, as it relates to his service-connected PTSD and/or multiple sclerosis. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to the ratings for allergic conjunctivitis, supraventricular arrhythmia with sick sinus syndrome, residual painful scarring from a pacemaker implantation, and eczema. As a result, these claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his left little finger disability is denied as the maximum schedular rating has already been assigned.,The Board finds that additional evidence is needed to determine if the Veteran’s right thumb injury, TBI, tinea versicolor, eye injury, right leg injury, prostatitis, back injury, residuals of deviated septum surgery, sleep apnea, and bronchitis are related to service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including peripheral neuropathy and chloracne. The issues are related to exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Board has remanded three issues related to service connection for gout of multiple joints, a scalp cyst, and PFB/folliculitis. The Veteran's claims are pending as the records confirming his periods of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA in the Navy Reserve have not been obtained. Additionally, he needs a VA examination with an appropriate specialist to address the onset and causation of gout, and another with a dermatologist to assess the severity of his service-connected skin conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for seborrheic dermatitis and left knee disorder are remanded due to incomplete examination reports. The issues will be reconsidered after a new examination is conducted.

The Veteran's acne vulgaris with moderate scarring and slight disfigurement of the face is currently rated as 30 percent disabling. The Board finds that additional evidence is needed to determine if a higher rating is warranted, including obtaining records from his private doctor and conducting a new VA examination.