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

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to consider potentially favorable evidence, specifically the April 1990 VA examination report. The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for his 60 percent disability rating for dermatitis.

The Veteran's claims for bronchitis, athlete's foot, hypercholesterolemia, and dermatitis were denied. The claim for PTSD was granted.

The Veteran's tinea cruris was not rated as compensable due to the lack of characteristic skin lesions affecting at least 5% but less than 20% of his entire body or exposed areas, and intermittent systemic therapy required for a total duration of less than six weeks over the past 12-month period.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD and unspecified trauma- and stressor-related disorder) and erectile dysfunction were not found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected tinea cruris. The examiner was asked to provide an opinion on whether these conditions underwent any incremental increase in disability due to the service-connected tinea cruris.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests to restore his previous disability ratings for eczema and urticaria, and lumbosacral strain. The decisions were based on a finding of no clear and unmistakable error in the original rating determinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and peripheral arterial diseases of multiple limbs, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to September 23, 2020.

The Veteran's service connection for left knee chondromalacia resulting in osteoarthritis, sinusitis, anosmia, and eczema has been granted with effective dates of July 31, 2015.,An earlier effective date than March 23, 2017 is granted for the reduction in rating for hypothyroidism.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for SOB, headaches disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and left ankle and left knee disorders due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling examinations. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection or increased ratings for various conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for eczema has been dismissed as the benefit sought (full grant of benefits) has already been granted in a December 2023 rating decision.,The case is remanded for further development regarding service connection for residuals of cesarean sections and left ear infection with loss of hearing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current stomach or skin conditions related to service. The claims for bilateral knee strain, right shoulder rotator cuff tendinosis and acromioclavicular joint arthritis (AC-joint), chronic elbow strain, and low back degenerative disc disease are remanded due to outstanding medical questions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin condition (other than sebopsoriasis of the scalp), including as due to herbicide exposure, finding no evidence that his current skin conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange. The AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran's claimed exposure and consider the new presumptive period under the Blue Water Act.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and rating issues related to low back pain, contact dermatitis, migraine headaches, PTSD, sleep apnea, IBS, left ear hearing loss, bilateral knees, and bilateral shoulders as untimely.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic skin condition is granted as the evidence supports that his condition began during or as a result of his active service.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including PTSD, were denied effective from the date of receipt of his claim in September 1989. The Board found that an earlier effective date was not warranted due to the finality of the prior decisions and the lack of a valid appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for psoriasis due to an incomplete examination report and requests additional information from the examiner.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for tinea cruris, tinea pedis, intertrigo with onychomycosis, right knee strain, and right ear hearing loss as these conditions have already been granted in a previous rating decision.,The appeal for left ear hearing loss is denied because there is no current disability meeting the VA compensation criteria.

The Veteran's clothing allowance for topical medications related to his service-connected skin disability (dermatitis) is granted for the year 2002.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and inadequate reasoning regarding service connection for a skin condition, including porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) and contact dermatitis, as potentially related to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's conditions are currently not considered service-connected.

The Board denied a compensable rating for tinea pedis, finding that the condition affected less than 5 percent of the Veteran's body and required only topical medication.