Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claim for a VA examiner opinion to determine if the Veteran's psoriasis is related to his service-connected lower back disability and coronary arteriosclerosis, specifically considering whether it was aggravated by these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinea versicolor, finding that there was no evidence of a pre-existing condition and that any current condition did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of aggravation during active duty.

The Board has determined that additional attempts should be made to obtain the Veteran's service treatment records, as they are crucial for determining his eligibility for service connection. The appeal is remanded in order to address these missing records.

The Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder and type 2 diabetes, and the Board has granted this claim.,The Veteran's headaches are also secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder and hypertension. The Board has granted this claim as well.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the extent of the Veteran's facial scarring and which skin disorder (PFB or acne) his complaints, treatments, and facial scarring should be attributed to. The claim is now pending further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a skin disorder, including as due to herbicide exposure (Agent Orange), and for TDIU. The case will be returned to VA for further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, eczema of the hands, and dizziness are all found to be related to service.,Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's spine disorder is rated at 60 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of ankylosis or other factors.,For his pruritis ani with tinea cruris, the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as there are no findings of large or thrombotic hemorrhoids, persistent bleeding, or secondary anemia.

The Veteran's skin disabilities, including psoriasis, tinea cruris, eczema, generalized plaque psoriasis, and localized scalp psoriasis, are found to be related to his active service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has instructed the RO to consider an extraschedular rating for service-connected bilateral lower extremity neurodermatitis. The case is being returned to the RO for this purpose.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims, including those for DMII and its secondary conditions. The Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune is presumed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for reopening of previous final denials of service connection for various conditions, including endometriosis, hysterectomy, elbow and hip conditions, lupus, skin condition, wrist conditions, hair loss, joint pain, shoulder condition, neurological disorder, vision condition, upper respiratory condition, memory loss, and fatigue. The Board also remanded the issue of an earlier effective date for service connection for diarrhea.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to newly submitted articles and a need for a new medical opinion considering these articles.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for PFB prior to July 19, 2012, from September 20, 2012, to May 9, 2013, and from May 12, 2014, to February 24, 2016; a rating in excess of 30 percent from July 19, 2012, to September 19, 2012, from May 10, 2013, to May 11, 2014, and from February 25, 2016, to August 25, 2016; and a rating in excess of 10 percent from August 26, 2016, to the present has been dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his claim for a higher rating for dermatitis prior to July 12, 2019 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter was also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence and missing VA treatment records. The Veteran's skin condition, claimed as tinea versicolor, is being reviewed again for service connection.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for small bowel obstruction was denied. The earlier effective date claim for allergic rhinitis is dismissed as untimely filed.,Issues related to GERD, right shoulder disability, PFB, and OSA are remanded for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for psoriasis and type II diabetes mellitus, as they are related to his service-connected Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) and treatment. The VA will need to provide additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for seborrheic dermatitis prior to December 20, 2019, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter is being remanded due to inadequate examination. Updated treatment records are needed, and the Veteran should be scheduled for an examination by an appropriate clinician.