Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA examination regarding whether tinea versicolor had its onset during service or is otherwise related to service. The Veteran's testimony that a doctor related his tinea versicolor to the warm climate of Okinawa, where he served, needs clarification.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance prior to May 8, 2019 is denied as the evidence does not show he was in need of regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of Dupuytren's contracture of the hands and feet, as well as ankylosing spondylitis and eczema/seborrhea. The appeal for iridocyclitis is remanded due to its inextricability with the other issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for annual VA clothing allowances due to the use of a back brace, topical medication, TENS unit, and arch supports. The Veteran needs to provide more details about how these items caused damage to his clothing.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with its previous remand directives and the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, colon cancer, and dermatitis due to herbicide exposure are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for unspecified skin condition, right and left ankle disabilities, lower back pain, right shoulder injury, and left shoulder injury due to insufficient development.

The Board has dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board denied service connection for a pulmonary disorder and denied compensable ratings for eczema, tinea pedis (athlete's foot), bilateral ingrown toenails, and headaches.,The Veteran was not found to have current conditions that warranted a higher rating or service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disorder, including psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis, finding that the Veteran's disability was not incurred in or related to his active service.,The Board also denied service connection for a respiratory disorder, including asbestosis and asthma, concluding that there is no evidence of asbestos exposure during service.

The Veteran's neuropathy-like neurological symptoms of the left and right lower extremities are service-connected.,Service connection is also granted for headaches, diagnosed as migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to lack of recent VA treatment records. The appellant is asked to provide details about his VA treatment and obtain any missing records.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PFB, left knee disability, right knee disability, sleep apnea, IBS, acid reflux disability, hemorrhoids, low back disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, pes planus, left foot disability, right foot disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. The issues of service connection for these conditions are REMANDED.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for recurrent skin disability, including tinea versicolor and skin cancer, are remanded. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for coronary artery disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and consideration, including obtaining retrospective medical opinions on the severity of the Veteran's rosacea and facial scars from December 2015 until February 6, 2020.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinea corporis, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic skin condition during service and insufficient medical opinion to link current tinea corporis to service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed due to his withdrawal of the issues. The Board also noted that new VA examinations are needed for some of the disabilities on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected skin disability, diagnosed as dermatitis of the right ankle, is currently rated at 0 percent disabling. The Board finds that an increased compensable evaluation for this condition is not warranted.

The Veteran's Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) is rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for painful facial scars due to pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) was denied. The RO found that the Veteran did not meet criteria for a higher disability rating based on his service-connected PFB.

The Veteran's service-connected PFB, Onychomycosis/Tinea Pedis, and Dry Skin (Ichthyosis Vulgaris) are not rated higher than the current 10% due to the skin conditions affecting less than 20% of his body or exposed areas.