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

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding hypertension, toenail fungus, and the reopening of a previously denied claim for muscle degeneration of the right arm. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's tinea pedis with onychomycosis of the bilateral feet is being remanded for a new VA examination due to worsening symptoms and changes in rating criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from maintaining substantially gainful employment from November 21, 2008 to March 6, 2012. The Board granted a TDIU rating during this period.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hypertension was denied in a previous decision, and no new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim.,Service connection for a skin disability of the neck (tinea versicolor) is denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of this condition that is related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity dermatitis and denied service connection for bilateral onychomycosis and tinea pedis. The Veteran's current diagnoses of LLE and RLE dermatitis are found to be related to his service, while the claims for onychomycosis and tinea pedis lack a causal link to active service.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for disability manifested by dizziness, including peripheral vestibular disorder. The Veteran's current diagnosis is chronic recurrent vertigo and chronic dizziness.

The Veteran's skin disability other than dermatophytosis is reopened, but the Board finds that there is no new evidence to support a service connection claim for this condition. The claims of secondary service connection for hypertension and service connection for back, sciatica, right knee, and left knee disabilities are remanded due to insufficient medical nexus opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbosacral spine with disc space narrowing, lumbar disc displacement, lumbar spondylolisthesis of L5-S1, ankylosing spondylitis, spinal stenosis, and chronic bilateral hand dermatitis with hyperkeratosis and deep cracks.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for dyshidrotic eczema prior to March 21, 2011 was granted. The claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for the condition from that date is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disability of the right leg, finding that there is no evidence linking the current condition to active duty service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for PFB prior to December 15, 2016 was denied.,A 10 percent rating was granted from December 15, 2016 and prior to February 13, 2018.,A 30 percent rating was granted starting on February 13, 2018.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acne is etiologically related to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected tinea cruris and tinea pedis have been granted a 10 percent initial disability rating, effective from January 7, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, finding that the condition initially manifested during active duty and continues to this day.

The Veteran's seborrheic dermatitis, left ankle strain, and low back disability were evaluated. The seborrheic dermatitis was found to not warrant a compensable rating due to its limited extent of affected skin.,For the left ankle strain, the Veteran did not meet criteria for a higher rating as his range of motion remained within normal limits with no significant effects on occupation.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disorder, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosed skin disorders did not begin during service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's psoriasis is rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted under either the old or new regulations.,For his other trauma and stress related disorder, the Veteran seeks an increased rating to 50 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support such a rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a skin condition and a lumbar spine disability due to presumed exposure in Vietnam. The Veteran's pain is related to his reported back problem, but the exact cause of his diagnosed conditions remains unclear.

The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent rating for bilateral tinea pedis is granted. However, the claim for service connection for schizophrenia is denied as it was clearly and unmistakably not aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's skin conditions are related to his military service, including Agent Orange exposure. A new VA examination is needed.