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

The Veteran's service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae results in a disfigurement to the head, face, or neck but not with either gross distortion or asymmetry of three or more features or paired sets of features, or with six or more characteristics of disfigurement. The disability does not affect more than 40 percent of the entire body or more than 40 percent of exposed areas and it does not require treatment with intermittent systemic therapy such as corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional medical examination and development due to the need for updated evidence and clarification of service connection issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and identifying any pertinent medical records from a plastic surgeon who treated the Veteran's acne lesions.

The Veteran's seborrheic dermatitis with actinic keratosis is rated at 30 percent from August 28, 2017. The condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to that date.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request. As a result, the Board does not have jurisdiction to review the appeal and it is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in medical evaluations and the need for further development of the Veteran's employment history. The appeal is now pending with the AOJ.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the rating for his psychiatric disability associated with acne vulgaris.

The Veteran's service-connected PFB was granted an increased rating of 10 percent for the period from October 19, 2007 to January 2014. Service connection for stomach cancer was denied.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period prior to August 11, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The temporary total evaluation based on a service-connected disability requiring a period of convalescence (total temporary evaluation) is denied as there is no service connection for a cervical spine condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability and urinary disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's skin disabilities, specifically tinea versicolor and tinea cruris, were rated at 10 percent prior to May 30, 2012. Beginning from that date, the VA determined a rating of 60 percent is warranted due to systemic therapy required for treatment.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his adenocarcinoma of the transverse colon was not related to his in-service polyps and subsequent removal. The cancer site was independent from where the polyps were removed.

The Veteran's tinea pedis with onychomycosis was rated at 10 percent since October 24, 2016. The Board found that the condition did not affect more than 5% of his total body or exposed areas and no systemic therapy such as corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs were required during the past year.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than June 24, 2010 for the initial grant of service connection for pseudo folliculitis barbae and for an initial compensable rating for right foot tinea pedis have been withdrawn. The claim for a higher rating for right wrist osteoarthritis with distal ulnar styloid fracture was also withdrawn.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, as secondary to service-connected disabilities were not addressed due to the withdrawal of these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected seborrheic dermatitis is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his condition has not resulted in more than 40% of his body or exposed areas being affected, and he did not require constant systemic therapy.

The Veteran's heart murmur is not a disability for VA purposes, and service connection cannot be granted.,Sleep apnea has been rated at the maximum 50% level due to use of CPAP machine. It does not meet criteria for higher ratings based on respiratory failure or tracheostomy.,Right shoulder degenerative joint disease is currently rated as 20%, which aligns with limitation of motion at shoulder level (170 degrees flexion).,Left knee tendonitis has been rated at the maximum 10% level, reflecting no more than normal range of motion and pain on movement.,Hypertension has not required compensable ratings as it is controlled by medication with diastolic pressure below 100 and systolic pressure consistently below 160.,Psoriasis affects less than five percent of exposed or unexposed areas without requiring systemic corticosteroid or immunosuppressive drugs.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to Alzheimer's disease, which is not service-connected. The Board finds that the appellant does not have legal entitlement to accrued benefits as no claims were pending at the time of his death and there are no existing ratings or decisions in her favor.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for residual chloracne scars of the upper extremities and trunk is being remanded due to additional VA examination reports that need to be considered.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and readjudicating the claims.