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

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations, as some issues have not been fully addressed by the VA examiners.

The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinions were inadequate and remanded for further development. The case is now being returned to obtain an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to in-service disorders.

The Veteran's hypertension and hypothyroidism are granted as service connection is presumed due to exposure to herbicide agents during active duty.,Service connection for a skin disorder, including chloracne, is granted based on the presumption of causation related to Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's pituitary gland dysfunction is not linked to his service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as he meets the schedular criteria for a total disability rating due to his service-connected disabilities, but SMC under 38 U.S.C. 1114(s) cannot be awarded based on multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's asthma is granted as a result of Persian Gulf War exposure, but his skin disability to include tinea pedis and dermatitis is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been withdrawn or are being remanded due to various issues, including lack of evidence linking the conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his tinea cruris and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) claims, including obtaining medical opinions on the effectiveness of his treatment and investigating the claimed stressors.

The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae is granted a 10% disability rating, effective March 9, 2017. Pleurisy remains non-compensable. From February 1, 2018, the Veteran is granted TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a blood disorder, skin disorder other than pseudofolliculitis barbae with residual dermal sclerosis, and nerve damage due to unclear etiology of his conditions related to service. The decision is pending further development.

The Board has granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae and remanded the issues of bilateral pes planus and sleep disorder (OSA) to further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a rash of the groin area, diagnosed as inverse psoriasis. The issue of an initial compensable rating for a back disability prior to April 16, 2020, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter remains pending. Other issues remain remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for pseudofolliculitis barbae, back disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder (heel), left ankle disorder (heel), and right knee disorder. Additional development is needed to obtain VA treatment records and provide medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's skin conditions and folic acid deficiency are remanded for further examination and opinion to determine their relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not substantially or materially contribute to his death. The Board concluded that the Veteran's behavior, even if PTSD-induced, was not the proximate cause of his death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness associated with service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War. The new opinion must address whether both the etiology and pathophysiology of the conditions is understood.

The Veteran's PFB with hyperpigmentation and seborrheic dermatitis was rated at 10 percent prior to December 18, 2019, and at 30 percent from that date. The Board found the condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of current disability. The claim for left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied as part of the January 2003 rating decision, which is final. The claims for vertigo and sunburn scars were addressed in the August 2016 rating decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability. The claims of service connection for hearing loss and skin disability, to include acne, are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for COPD, visual complications of diabetes, aortic stenosis (claimed as heart disability), dermatitis psoriasis (claimed as bilateral foot disability), and TDIU due to procedural issues. The VA examiner is requested to provide an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's COPD was aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and a VA Scars/Disfigurement examination.