Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for an initial compensable disability rating for service-connected contact dermatitis to correct a duty to assist error.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for service connection for various other conditions, as well as increased rating claims.

The Board granted service connection for generalized anxiety disorder and denied the claims for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for acne, service connection for migraines, and service connection for a spine condition.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of March 23, 2022, for the grant of service connection for eczema.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for eczema and bilateral flat feet due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically the failure to arrange for VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, and pseudofolliculitis barbae, among other issues, with specific ratings and effective dates.

The Board granted service connection for dry skin with pseudofolliculitis barbae and denied service connection for color blindness. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was remanded.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for depression, chronic ear infections, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), acne, arthritis, heart attack, thyroid disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, catarrhal fever (common cold), foot disability, ventral hernia, dental disability, and a rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder with bipolar spectrum disorder prior to January 3, 2025.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of June 9, 2022 for atopic dermatitis and August 30, 2023 for right knee strain, limitation of extension. The claims for earlier effective dates prior to December 13, 2021 for the assignment of a 20 percent rating for left knee meniscal tear and Baker's cyst and a 10 percent rating for left knee meniscal tear and Baker's cyst, limitation of extension were denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for a right ankle strain, acne with scars, left foot fracture, right knee tendinopathy, left knee strain, and tinnitus as the first communication from the Veteran to VA evidencing his intent to file claims for these conditions was received on December 5, 2023.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to June 7, 2019, from the earlier effective date of June 1, 2016, and denied an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD from June 6, 2014, to June 1, 2016.

The Board remands the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to January 31, 2023, as the evidence of record is insufficient to properly evaluate the Veteran's claim.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD and hypertension, and remanded several claims for further development.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for anxiety and headaches was denied, while the appeal for eczema was dismissed due to untimely filing.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypothyroidism, hypertension, GERD, psoriasis, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction due to a need to verify exposure and obtain additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's service connection for acne and tension headaches was granted, while the asthma claim was remanded.

The appeal was dismissed for untimely filing, and several claims for service connection were denied due to insufficient evidence linking the claimed conditions to military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board granted service connection for left foot pes planus and denied increased ratings for pseudofolliculitis barbae, hip disabilities, and other claimed conditions. Some claims were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as there was no evidence to support a higher rating or service connection for any of the conditions appealed.

The Board dismissed the claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of painful scars on various parts of the body, as the evidence does not support an earlier date than September 19, 2023.