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

Service connection granted for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, seborrheic dermatitis, acquired psychiatric disorder (depression with anxiety), and sleep disorder (insomnia).,Onychomycosis of the right great toenail service connection is remanded.

The appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and onychomycosis on the left foot and tinea pedis on the right foot are granted. The appeals for service connection for right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and entitlement to a rating are REMANDED.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and vocational experience.

Service connection is granted for cystadenoma, headaches, hemorrhoids, right flat foot, left flat foot, right foot bunion, left foot bunion, right foot hammer toe, and left foot hammer toe.,Service connection is denied for hirsutism.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left knee disability, tinea versicolor, and elevated liver enzymes have been denied. The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), fatigue secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder, and insomnia secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran was provided with VA examinations in October 2020 for his left knee disability, tinea versicolor, and elevated liver enzymes. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran does not have a current left knee disability, tinea versicolor is not related to service, and abnormal liver enzymes are not a disability for which service connection can be established under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, skin condition, low back disability, and left hip disability due to the Veteran's failure to attend scheduled examinations. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, but the other issues related to hearing loss, tinnitus, foot disorder, and pseudofolliculitis barbae are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's back brace and crutches caused wear and tear to his shirts, leading to the grant of clothing allowances for these items in 2020.,The Veteran's skin condition required him to use hydrocortisone cream, which damaged his shirts. The Board denied a second allowance due to the maximum number already granted.

The appeal of the initial rating assigned for bladder cancer is dismissed. The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II and its associated neuropathies are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for chloracne and set the effective date to May 18, 2012, which is when the Veteran's claim was received by VA.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis and a skin condition, variously diagnosed as psoriasis and seborrheic keratosis, are granted. The Board finds that the conditions started during service and continued to present.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with shin splints, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with shin splints, and seborrheic dermatitis as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chloracne is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion regarding the pre-service status of his disability.

The Board has determined that the assignment of a separate initial 10 percent rating for scar disfigurement due to acne was clearly and unmistakably erroneous, leading to its severance effective August 1, 2020. The appeal is denied.

The appeal for service connection of psoriasis and the grant of service connection for degenerative joint disease and degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine with a disability rating of 20 percent effective December 16, 2019 are dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for plantar fasciitis and a higher initial evaluation and earlier effective date for pseudofolliculitis barbae as the appellant requested to withdraw his appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a left retina disorder and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied. Service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, benign prostatic hyperplasia/hypertrophy, and chronic dermatitis to include tinea versicolor were denied. The Veteran was previously awarded a noncompensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss prior to January 11, 2021, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter. For benign prostatic hyperplasia/hypertrophy, the Veteran received a 40 percent evaluation from July 9, 2009, based on awakening to void five or more times per night. For chronic dermatitis (tinea versicolor), he was awarded a noncompensable rating prior to March 18, 2010, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to May 16, 2006, for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The issues are inextricably intertwined as the TDIU claim is remanded.