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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for urethritis, skin disorder, sinusitis, and photophobia due to lack of current diagnoses. The appeals are being returned to the RO for additional development.

The Veteran's psoriasis does not affect more than 40 percent of his total or exposed body area, and the topical treatment is not administered on a large enough scale to be considered systemic. Therefore, he is not entitled to an increase in disability rating for psoriasis.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from June 12, 2011 to October 19, 2015 due to service-connected disabilities that rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, including as due to herbicide agent exposure. The VA medical opinion found no evidence of a current skin disorder related to service and concluded that the condition is less likely caused by Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's PFB with vitiligo, left anterior neck is rated at 10 percent prior to October 15, 2019 and denied for a higher rating thereafter. The condition causes hyperpigmentation and papules on the bearded areas of his face and neck.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are rated at 60 percent from February 1, 2015 to October 9, 2019. The skin disorder claim is denied as the current diagnoses do not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a skin disability, hypothyroidism, anemia, diabetes mellitus, and back disability. The Veteran's skin condition is considered to be related to his active service. His hypothyroidism, anemia, diabetes mellitus, and back disability are not found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's body scarring, including scars on the upper extremities and trunk, is rated at a 10 percent disability level since August 20, 2007.

The Veteran's skin condition, eczema with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, has worsened since his last VA examination in December 2013. The Board is remanding the case for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the disability and determine if any treatment constitutes systemic therapy.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, but remanded his claims for right knee condition and rectum disorder due to additional development being needed.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable disability rating for acne with facial scarring was denied, and his claim for a higher rating from February 20, 2020, was also denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and pseudofolliculitis barbae have been denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship to service.,There are no indications that the Veteran's GERD or pseudofolliculitis barbae began during his military service.

The Veteran's skin disorder, claimed as dermatitis, is granted service connection. The Board also grants service connection for cysts on the neck, but remands to obtain a VA examination and determine if they are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 3, 2017 and from August 2, 2017 due to insufficient evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae was withdrawn. The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence supported the claim based on in-service noise exposure and continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's eczema is rated at 30 percent disabling. Service connection for sacroiliac joint dysfunction, also claimed as back and joint pain, is granted.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including respiratory disabilities, skin disabilities, alopecia, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and lower extremities, due to lack of credible evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or other confirmed exposures. The preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including low back pain, PTSD, headaches, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, dermatitis, gall bladder removal, and GERD. The appeals are currently pending.

The Veteran's right and left leg disabilities have been granted a higher initial disability rating of 10 percent.,A higher initial disability rating of 10 percent has also been granted for uterine fibroids. The Veteran’s dyshidrotic eczema has been granted a higher initial disability rating, but only up to 10 percent.