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

The Veteran's dermatitis is granted as service-connected, with the condition being presumed due to in-service exposure.,The Veteran's COPD is granted as secondary to his service-connected occupational asthma.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the claimed conditions. The Veteran's low back, right and left knee, right foot, and left foot disorders are all in question, as is his psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and an opinion regarding the Veteran's skin disability other than atypical dermatitis. The vision disability claim is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis with painful motion of thumb and 5th metacarpal, right hand is denied.,Service connection for sinusitis has been granted based on presumed exposure to burn pits during service in Southwest Asia.,Claims for service connection for a right leg disability and left leg disability are dismissed as they have been rendered moot by the grant of service connection for fibromyalgia.,The Veteran's claim for PTSD is remanded due to lack of current diagnosis and need for further examination.,Service connection for dermatitis and rosacea is remanded due to need for additional medical opinions regarding their relationship to service, including exposure to burn pits in Iraq.

The Board has determined that the VA examination conducted does not adequately consider the Veteran's exposure to herbicides, and thus remands for a new examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his skin disorders, including tinea pedis, intertrigo, scrotal itching, and tinea cruris.

The Board has remanded the claims for a compensable rating for right index finger disability and tinea pedis prior to April 5, 2021, as well as for ratings in excess of 10 percent beginning April 5, 2021. The VA is directed to obtain outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and a right leg skin disability (claimed as shingles) because the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during or were caused by the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, acute maxillary sinusitis, rhinitis, right leg fungus, left leg fungus, tinea pedis of the right foot, tinea pedis of the left foot, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted. The effective dates are not specified as they were all granted in a June 2018 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's hearing loss claim. The service connection claims for hepatitis C, kidney disease, osteoporosis, and folliculitis are denied as there is no persuasive evidence that these conditions began during service or are related to in-service events.

The Board denied an increased rating for service-connected dermatitis (claimed as eczema) because the evidence did not show that the Veteran's condition caused rashes or lesions covering more than five percent of either exposed or total body area, or required treatment with systemic therapies for more than six total weeks over the entire period on appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a skin disorder due to the need for a more comprehensive and fully informed medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's skin disorder.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension was denied as he did not have the condition at any point since filing his claim. The Veteran received a 100% rating for mood disorder NOS from November 28, 2006 to present. A compensable rating for status-post appendectomy scar was denied. Ratings of more than 20 percent were denied for left and right hip DJD. SMC at the housebound rate since November 28, 2006 was granted. TDIU was also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeals on these issues.,Service connection has been granted for low back strain, residuals of coccygeal injury, cervical spine strain, and rosacea.

The Board dismissed the appeal to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for left leg pain. The Board granted the reopening and service connection for a skin disorder characterized as dermatitis of scalp and folliculitis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right foot disorders, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claim for a left knee disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been granted a 50% rating, effective from the date of the decision. The Board also found that he is entitled to TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) as it began during the Veteran's active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not preclude him from following a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 20, 2008 and after November 22, 2010.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to August 22, 2019 due to his service-connected PTSD and tinea pedis. The evidence showed that he had completed a bachelor's degree and was employed as an addiction counselor during part of the appeal period.,For the period from August 22, 2019 onwards, the Veteran is in receipt of a 100% disability rating for PTSD. As his PTSD alone prevents him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment, he does not meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder and a skin condition, characterized as acne keloidalis. Additional efforts are needed to obtain records from the Huntsville Hospital and Social Security Administration.