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

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including malaria and its residuals, chloracne, cataracts, knee disabilities, jaw glands, polyps, cervical spine disability, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, diverticulitis, diabetes mellitus type II, fibromyalgia, lumbar spine disability, and left lower extremity neuropathy. The Board found no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claim for SMC at the housebound rate is denied because he does not have a single service-connected disability rated as 100 percent disabling and additional disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more.

The Veteran's PFB affects less than 5 percent of the exposed and entire body, requiring no systemic therapy. The Board denied an initial compensable rating for PFB.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) from July 18, 2010 due to the Veteran's symptoms not meeting the criteria for a higher rating under the current VA rating schedule.

The Board has granted service connection for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) as the Veteran's condition had its onset during his military service.

The Veteran's PFB was granted a 10 percent disability rating from June 16, 2021. The thoracolumbar spine disability remains at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for inguinal hernia with surgery, acne with itchy skin and rashes, hair loss with changes, jaw and tooth pain, psychiatric disability (claimed as stress and bizarre recurring dreams), regular illness with abdominal fat, and twitching due to an error in submitting a modernized review system form instead of a legacy appeal form.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and rating determinations.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain clarification from the VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's current bilateral tinea pedis and onychomycosis are related to service, specifically his statements of onset during service while wearing boots.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for keratosis pilaris and seborrheic dermatitis are remanded due to the possibility of an increase in severity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's July 2017 VA Form 9 was timely filed, and therefore grants the appeal as to whether a substantive appeal was timely filed in response to the February 2016 statement of the case.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional evidence added after the SOC and a need for an opinion on whether the Veteran's dermatitis is aggravated by service-connected folliculitis.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary due to the inadequacy of the November 2020 VA examination and the need for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a new VA examination by a dermatologist.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for dementia as a residual of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is also granted for low back arthritis with recurrent lumbar sprains, recurring dermatitis and actinic keratosis of the skin, allergic conjunctivitis of both eyes, and major depressive disorder with anxiety secondary to service-connected dementia.

The Veteran's skin disabilities are not service connected as they do not have a link to his active duty service. The Board found the evidence does not support a connection between his current conditions and exposure to herbicide agents, extreme sun exposure, or wearing wet clothes during service.

The Veteran's service-connected eczema on the hands, neck, and groin is remanded for further development regarding systemic therapy use.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability, low back disability, and sleep apnea. The Board found no current diagnosis of these conditions in the record.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) were denied as the Veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations, which were necessary to evaluate her service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment since April 11, 2012. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings, specifically for right elbow limitation of supination or pronation associated with right elbow bursitis. The RO should consider these issues and provide an SSOC.