Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) Board decisions

The veteran's service connection claims for COPD, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Chloracne secondary to exposure to Agent Orange are denied. The claim for an increased evaluation of PTSD is granted with a rating of 50 percent. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for chondromalacia of the right patella is also granted.

The veteran's initial evaluations for eczema, peptic ulcer disease with hiatal hernia, postoperative residuals of meniscectomy of the right knee, and residuals of an injury to the left knee were all granted. The evaluation for residual of an injury to the right shoulder was also granted.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected right knee injury with post-traumatic arthritis and seborrheic dermatitis of the face and scalp, both rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's tinea unguium and tinea pedis of the feet were incurred during his service in Vietnam, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to issues regarding service connection for PTSD, as well as evaluations for tinea cruris, tinea versicolor, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and hemorrhoids. The veteran's claim is not about exposure to specific environmental factors.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the issue of a higher rating for the veteran's dermatitis with nervous disorder can be decided. This includes obtaining medical records, conducting further examinations, and determining if separate evaluations are appropriate.

The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 70% for the veteran's service-connected PTSD, effective June 1, 1994. The claim for secondary service connection for alcohol and drug abuse is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development of evidence, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the current state of the veteran's glaucoma and neurodermatitis disseminata.

The veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 1, 1996, for pension benefits is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100 percent schedular rating for his service-connected paranoid schizophrenia. The issue of service connection for psoriasis remains pending.

The veteran's service-connected disability of bilateral onychomycosis with tinea pedis and tinea corporis does not materially contribute to his employment handicap, as he has chosen not to pursue other types of employment. The RO denied the application for vocational rehabilitation training and self-employment assistance.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for a skin condition claimed as chloracne due to Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's PTSD warrants a rating of 100 percent.,An effective date prior to March 25, 1992 for the 30 percent rating for chloracne is not warranted.,There is no clear and unmistakable error in the December 1971 rating decision regarding sebaceous cysts.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected skin disorder (seborrheic dermatitis) is denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's systolic heart murmur and did not reopen his claim of service connection for a skin disorder (claimed as chloracne).

The veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and herniated disc at L5-S1 is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, but the Board has determined that a higher 40 percent rating is warranted based on more severe symptoms. The pseudofolliculitis barbae of the face and neck is currently rated as noncompensably disabling.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to June 12, 1997 for the award of service connection for PTSD was granted. The RO also assigned compensable initial disability evaluations for jungle rot of the feet and pseudofolliculitis barbae.

The Board dismissed the appeals due to a lack of timely and adequate substantive appeal for both issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left eye disability and tinea pedis were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, but chronic tinea pedis of both feet was incurred during service.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected gout and hiatal hernia, but denied an increase in rating for seborrheic dermatitis. The veteran is currently rated at 20% for his gout and 10% for his hiatal hernia.

The veteran's acne vulgaris and left shoulder scar are both rated, but the left shoulder scar is granted a separate rating. The acne vulgaris remains at a 10% rating.