Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as evidence sufficient to trigger VA's duty to obtain a VA medical opinion was present. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his skin disabilities other than dyshidrotic eczema, which he contends are related to herbicide agent exposure during service in Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance regarding whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his military service.

Fatigue, psoriasis, and eczema have been granted service connection as manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected lupus erythematosus discoid.,Anemia has been remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for type 2 diabetes mellitus was denied as his disability picture did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's skin disability, consisting of acne vulgaris and bilateral foot onychomycosis, is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating (60 percent) due to his service-connected conditions. The Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development to obtain VA medical opinions and to review additional pertinent evidence, including VA treatment records from January 2017 to May 2021.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the claims of service connection for various disorders, including foot fungus, nose disorder, back disorder, asthma, psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, and hearing loss. The appeals are being remanded to obtain clarification on private treatment records and to schedule VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected right and left foot hammer toes, acne condition, anemia, and epididymitis have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fever, chills, sweats, psoriasis, and hypothyroidism have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disorder or condition associated with these symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and effective date have been remanded due to the complexity of the medical issues involved.

The Veteran's tinea cruris is being remanded for further development, including an examination to determine the etiology of his condition and whether he was exposed to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's skin disorders, including chloracne, dermatofibroma and chest cyst, are found to be service-connected as they developed during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected chloracne with residual scarring of the face and upper back is remanded due to a pre-decisional error in notifying him about a scheduled examination.

The Veteran's skin condition, tinea versicolor, was found to not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating as it did not involve more than 20-40% of his total body or exposed areas affected and did not require systemic therapy.

The Veteran's service-connected right upper extremity disabilities prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU effective January 31, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder. The initial rating for right knee strain with meniscal tear, status post partial meniscectomy, remains at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the VA examination provided in response to the remand requests was not fully responsive and requires additional development. The Veteran's skin disabilities have been rated based on their severity, but further clarification is needed regarding whether they require intermittent systemic therapy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a compensable rating are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and clarification regarding the Veteran's gastrointestinal symptoms, specifically whether they are due to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness resulting from service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board has granted service connection for acne and eczema, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions were aggravated by her active-duty service.