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

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for service-connected tinea cruris, hypertension, degenerative joint disease of the knees, and residual right great toe comminuted fracture are remanded due to delays in contacting him at his current address.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinea versicolor and eczema due to an inadequate VA examination, and additional private treatment records are needed.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims regarding earlier effective dates and compensable evaluations for his surgical scars, as well as denied his petition to reopen his service connection claims for eczema (claimed as squamous cell carcinoma) and cystic acne. The case was also remanded for further action on these issues.

The Veteran's Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) was rated at 10 percent since June 5, 2016. The Board found that the condition affected less than 20% of his exposed body area and did not require systemic therapy.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is currently rated at 10 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of objective evidence of marked deformity or swelling.,Service connection for OSA was denied as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's skin disabilities are related to service, Camp Lejeune exposure, or herbicide agent exposure. The VA needs to provide new opinions on these issues.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various conditions including bilateral knee and ankle conditions, sleep apnea, psychiatric disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and back condition due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for tinea pedis, an evaluation greater than 50 percent for PTSD, and an effective date of March 27, 2017, but no earlier, for the grant of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea were denied. The decision also noted that the Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent.

The Veteran's topical corticosteroids caused permanent damage to his outer garments, and the Board granted an annual clothing allowance for the 2020 calendar year.

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne of the face, chloracne of the bilateral lower extremities, and psoriasis. Service connection is also granted for bilateral hearing loss with a zero percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic kidney disease and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to January 27, 2021. From that date, his combined disability rating was 100 percent due to the combination of all his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or housebound status.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a skin condition, including basal cell carcinoma with seborrheic dermatitis and actinic keratosis, due to inadequate analysis in the previous rating decision. The case is returned to the AOJ for further review based on competent medical research and analysis by a specialist in dermatology.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hand dyshidrotic eczema/eczema has not met the criteria for a compensable disability rating under the current VA rating criteria.

The Board has found errors in the original decision and has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining private medical records and providing an addendum opinion regarding hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current skin disabilities may be related to his in-service treatment for a rash, and thus remands the case for further evaluation by a medical professional.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation as he was continually employed full-time, his earnings were above the poverty threshold, and he was not employed in a protected environment.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, as well as his chronic fatigue syndrome, dizzy spells/imbalance, irritable colon syndrome, tinea pedis, and migraines have been granted increased ratings. However, service connection for these conditions remains pending due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, chloracne, and bilateral knee disabilities due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and entitlement to TDIU. The Veteran's claim for service connection was not granted as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between his military service and his current psychiatric condition, nor could it be established that his psychiatric disorder was due to or aggravated by any service-connected disabilities. For the TDIU claim, the Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected conditions alone.