Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ankle, right foot, and dermatitis/folliculitis disabilities due to a lack of recent private treatment records and the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for a headache disorder prior to October 28, 2021, and in excess of 50 percent thereafter is denied.,Service connection for a right shoulder disorder, athlete's foot (tinea pedis), left shoulder disorder, right index finger disorder, and right thumb disorder are all denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of left ankle burn, left knee disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), and hearing impairment are all granted. The claim for residuals of a spider bite is remanded.

The Veteran's left arm radiculopathy is found to be secondary to her service-connected cervical spine disorder.,Other claims are remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's claims for hair loss, bilateral eye disorder, memory loss (also claimed as mood swings and depression), erectile dysfunction, dermatitis and eczema (a skin condition), and obstructive sleep apnea have all been denied.,Service connection has not been established for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for right knee disability was denied. A compensable rating prior to July 5, 2019, and a 30 percent rating from that date were granted for pseudofolliculitis barbae (shaving irritation). Service connection for diabetes mellitus, vision loss secondary to diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus were all denied. The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, left thigh disability, left hip disability, and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating for bilateral hearing loss and pseudofolliculitis barbae due to new evidence received by VA.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: service connection for a skin disability and the rating for right knee osteoarthritis. The Veteran's skin condition may be related to his service-connected carbuncles, but this needs further clarification. The right knee disability also requires additional examination as the current one does not fully address functional loss during flare-ups.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinea pedis and onychomycosis of both feet due to a lack of a VA examination. The Veteran is competent to attest to his symptoms, but further medical evidence is needed.

The Veteran's PFB with tinea versicolor and myxomucoid rash is granted a 60 percent rating, effective from the date of the decision. A separate compensable rating for facial scarring and a separate rating for scar of the right neck are denied.

The Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder, degenerative arthritis of the spine, GERD and hiatal hernia, and migraine headaches require further evaluation due to lack of recent VA examinations.,Additional medical evidence may be needed for a proper assessment.

The Veteran's skin condition is related to his service, specifically his time in the Vietnam War where he was exposed to Agent Orange. The Board has ordered a remand for further examination and opinion regarding the nature of his skin disorders.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin rashes, including as due to an undiagnosed illness and/or exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards. The evidence did not show a current diagnosis or functional impairment.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, pseudofolliculitis barbae, an acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder, anxiety, and depression), and lumbar spine osteoarthritis. The criteria for direct service connection have been met in all cases.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial disability ratings for the service-connected right thumb strain and dyshidrotic eczema has been denied. The current noncompensable (0 percent) ratings have not met the criteria for a higher rating under applicable VA regulations.,For the entire initial rating period on appeal from October 1, 2013, the Veteran's right thumb disability did not meet the criteria for a higher initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent. For the initial rating period on appeal from January 1, 2018, the skin disability also did not meet the criteria for a higher initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's tinea versicolor has been rated at 10 percent since October 8, 2019. For the period prior to that date, his condition did not warrant a higher rating as it did not meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating under the old or new VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the claims for acne scars and related issues due to additional evidence being associated with the case file.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed skin disability, including chloracne. The VA examiner did not provide sufficient rationale for distinguishing between acne and chloracne.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for eczema has been dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for left knee condition associated with degenerative arthritis, left ankle.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Service connection for psoriasis, cervical spine disability, and peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities are also granted as secondary to herbicide exposure.