Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because the evidence did not show a current disability. New evidence received since the denial, however, shows that he has a current diagnosis of hypertension.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a skin disability were reopened due to new evidence showing current diagnoses. The claim for tinnitus was also reopened as new evidence showed it began during service.

The Veteran's representative has withdrawn the appeals for sleep apnea and eczema, thus these issues are dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand both issues of service connection for PTSD and dyshidrotic eczema due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered with the inclusion of relevant evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection have been dismissed as withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate pre-decisional duty to assist errors, specifically regarding the adequacy of a VA opinion and its compliance with the Board's December 2021 remand order.

The Board has granted service connection for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae, Congestive Heart Failure with AICD, valvular heart disease, heart block, and cardiomyopathy, Hypertension, and Pulmonary Hypertension. The Veteran's conditions are presumed to be related to his service-connected asthma/restrictive airway disease.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left breast scar was rated at 30 percent, acne with scarring at 10 percent, varicose veins of the lower extremities at 10 percent each, and GERD and plantar wart were not granted.

The Board denied service connection for testicular cancer, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis as the evidence did not establish a causal relationship to active duty service. The Veteran's claims were based on presumed herbicide exposure in Korea, but there was no credible evidence of such exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for eczema (lipoma on back) was dismissed as the appeal is not properly before the Board due to procedural issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to inconsistencies in previous examinations and the need for a new medical opinion on secondary service connection.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for dermatitis, on an extraschedular basis, from August 30, 2002.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the Board finds that his hearing did not worsen during service.,Service connection for tinea cruris is denied because the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of this condition, and the STRs do not show any treatment or complaints related to it.,The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral foot tinea pedis is granted as there is evidence of a current disability (diagnosis in 1970) and the Board finds that his condition was incurred during active duty due to exposure to hot and humid environment.,Service connection for bilateral hand tremor is remanded because the VA examiner provided negative opinions without adequate rationale.

The veteran withdrew the appeal for both conditions, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review them.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae based on the presence of four or five characteristics of disfigurement.

The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae is rated at 30 percent for the period starting on February 22, 2022. The condition does not meet criteria for a higher evaluation based on systemic therapy or characteristic lesions involving more than 40% of the body or exposed areas.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine, left ankle deltoid ligament sprain, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, bilateral otitis externa, eczema, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain with osteoarthritis, tinnitus, left varicocele, and cystitis, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board granted a disability rating of 50 percent, but not higher, for pseudofolliculitis barbae with facial scarring effective May 28, 2020.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for asthma and a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae, but remanded claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, headaches, back disorder, and sinus disorder.

The appeal for a compensable disability rating for the service-connected seborrheic dermatitis is dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election of review options.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, sleep apnea, scars, diabetes mellitus type II, left thumb tenosynovitis, dermatitis, and tinnitus have all been denied.,The effective date for the award of service connection for IBS has been dismissed as a matter of law.