Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) Board decisions

The veteran's claims for a compensable rating for tinea cruris, service connection for PTSD, and service connection for a neurological disorder due to Gulf War exposure were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD or a current neurological disorder related to Gulf War service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for chloracne due to Agent Orange exposure was denied, and his TDIU rating prior to January 7, 2005, was also denied.

The veteran seeks an effective date earlier than July 23, 2004 for the grant of service connection for chloracne. The Board finds that there is no legal basis to assign an effective date before July 23, 2004 based on a pending claim and assigns the decision as denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral blurry vision with a right eye cataract, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hip disability were denied. The Board found that the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Board found that the rating reduction from 50 to 30 percent for dermatitis of the hands was proper, and denied an evaluation in excess of 30 percent. The claim for reopening service connection for cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disorders was granted.

The veteran's right ankle disability is rated at 20 percent, and he was granted a compensable evaluation for PFB prior to October 10, 2006. Since that date, the veteran has been assigned a 10 percent rating for his service-connected PFB.

The Board has granted service connection for psoriasis, finding that new and material evidence supports reopening the claim. The veteran's unit operated in waters where Vietnamese regularly defecated and urinated, which may be related to his current psoriasis.

The Board granted a 60 percent rating for psoriasis effective August 30, 2002. The veteran's right knee injury is rated at 10 percent. TDIU was denied.

The veteran died from pneumonia, which was not service-connected. The Board denied DIC benefits as the cause of death was not related to service and there were no pending claims for accrued benefits at the time of his death.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae, as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the current or former Diagnostic Codes for skin disorders. The veteran's condition is currently rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's tinea versicolor is manifested by a rash of the face, chin and chest, with hypo and hyperpigmented areas affecting less than 20% of her exposed areas and less than 5% of her total body area. The Board found that the disability did not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions (tinea pedis, low back strain, cervical strain, or residuals of a head injury) that are service-connected. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation and effective date prior to October 17, 2001, for the award of such a rating are both being remanded due to incomplete documentation.

The Board found no evidence of a current thoracic spine disability and denied service connection for thoracic spine pain. Service connection for bilateral knee condition is pending as the claim is still under review.

The Board has granted service connection for seborrheic dermatitis with folliculitis, finding that the veteran's symptoms began during his active duty service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for tinea versicolor and residuals of a fracture of the right thumb, finding that the evidence does not support higher evaluations under applicable rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have chloracne related to service, including due to Agent Orange exposure. Therefore, his claim for service connection is denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his skin disability is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records.

The veteran's eczema/atopic dermatitis warranted a 30 percent evaluation as of June 21, 2004, and the effective date for this rating is set at that time.

The veteran's claims for service connection on the merits were denied. The Board found that his skin disorder did not originate during active service and may not be presumed to have been incurred due to an undiagnosed illness. His joint pain, muscle spasms, and grinding of teeth (bruxism) were also not shown to be related to active service or a chronic undiagnosed illness.