Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for lymph node disability and left wrist disability. The dermatitis/eczema claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for pseudofolliculitis barbae, alcohol dependence, and depressive disorder with alcohol dependency are granted. The claim for PTSD is denied. An initial compensable evaluation since November 30, 2010, for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The appeal for an initial compensable evaluation since September 20, 2009, for erectile dysfunction (ED) is dismissed. A 50 percent rating from September 30, 2009, to November 29, 2010, for depressive disorder with alcohol dependency is granted. The issues of service connection for various conditions are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, erectile dysfunction, bilateral foot fungus, and urticaria (claimed as chloracne) due to exposure to herbicide agents. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all relevant service records and provide new opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

A 10 percent rating for vertigo prior to December 31, 2014 has been granted.,Since December 31, 2014, a 30 percent rating for vertigo is granted.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying the Veteran's service stressors. The claims of service connection for various conditions are also being considered.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of an initial compensable disability rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, prostate cancer, right hip disability, arthritis, eczema, elbow disability, gout, hypertension, and bilateral hand and foot neurological disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of these conditions during or after the period of service.,Service connection cannot be granted because the Veteran has not provided any medical or other evidence linking his current diagnoses to his military service.

The appeals for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right ankle disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, chronic left sternoclavicular joint disorder, left foot disorder, and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been dismissed.,The appeal for PTSD has also been dismissed.

The Veteran's tinea pedis with onychomycosis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has denied a higher rating as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on skin coverage or systemic therapy.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's left knee disability claim is also being remanded as a VA examination is needed to assess its relationship to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is granted an annual VA clothing allowance for the year 2015 due to her use of triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% ointment, which damages her outergarments (pants and shirts).

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's anxiety disorder and remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for lumbar strain prior to October 8, 2015 and from October 8, 2015 for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The initial staged ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis and GERD were also denied.

The claims for service connection for acne vulgaris, type II diabetes mellitus, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibroid tumors, memory loss, and hair loss are denied.,The claims for service connection for IBS, fibroid tumors, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for tinea pedis and remanded the cases of peptic ulcer disease and midline hernia due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records and need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records from his Marine Corps Reserve service and VA treatment records. The Veteran is also required to provide private chiropractic treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), respiratory disorder (bronchitis), sinus disorder (sinusitis), and skin disorder (tinea versicolor, eczema) have been denied. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of tinea versicolor and eczema that is linked to his service exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin rash have been denied. The Board finds that a new VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of his low back disability and functional gastrointestinal disorder.,Service connection for a low back disability and functional gastrointestinal disorder (GERD) cannot be established as there are no objective indications of qualifying chronic disabilities.

The claim for hypertension is reopened and granted. The claims for respiratory disorder, ulcer, GERD, foot condition, and skin condition are remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for otitis media is granted. The claims for otitis externa, seborrheic dermatitis, and tympanic membrane perforation are denied as they are not related to service or caused by a service-connected disability.