Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) Board decisions

The veteran's appeal is about the evaluation of his service-connected chloracne. The RO has denied an increased rating, and the Board has ordered a remand to conduct further development.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional records and a new examination, preferably during an active stage of his eczema. The case will be readjudicated after all development.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for anxiety secondary to his service-connected skin disability (dermatitis) due to new evidence submitted in May 1998. However, the claim is not well-grounded as there is no separate disease entity of a psychoneurosis that can be aggravated by the dermatitis.

The Board has granted a 50 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected allergic dermatitis, effective from the date of this decision.

The Board determined that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the service connection claim for sinusitis, and also denied the claim for service connection for dermatitis of the left thigh. The veteran's newly submitted evidence did not relate his current diagnosis to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, tinea pedis, a left ankle disability, and a left great toe disability. The Board found that the veteran's bilateral pes planus was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for a hiatal hernia, tinea pedis, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and tinea versicolor. Service connection is also granted for sinusitis. The veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, epistaxis, and skin rashes on the feet, face, and trunk due to an undiagnosed illness are not well-grounded.

The Board has restored a 50 percent rating for dyshidrotic eczema with hyperhidrosis, which was previously reduced to 30 percent. The reduction from 50 percent to 30 percent is void ab initio due to the failure to consider regulatory provisions and denial of due process.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased rating for tinea pedis, service connection for a right shoulder disorder, and new and material evidence for multiple lipomas and generalized skin disorders. The decision also noted that there was no evidence of treatment or diagnoses of a left shoulder disorder in service.

The Board found no evidence of chloracne in service or within one year after the veteran's service in Vietnam, and there is no medical nexus between any current skin rashes or acne and any disease or injury in service. As such, the claim for service connection for chloracne due to Agent Orange exposure was denied.

The veteran's overpayment of disability pension benefits was waived due to his inadvertent failure to report receipt of Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits, which were effective from March 1997. The Board found that the veteran's misrepresentation did not rise to the level of fraud or bad faith.

The veteran's multiple disabilities do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes based on his service-connected conditions, as they are not of sufficient severity to render him permanently unemployable.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected rosacea/cystic acne with severe rhinophyma does not warrant a higher rating as it does not meet the criteria for a more severe disability level.

The Board has granted service connection for a skin rash and gastrointestinal disorder, but denied the claims of entitlement to service connection for respiratory disorder and PTSD due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for acne and mouth ulcers, both of which are determined to be not related to Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's residuals of a comminuted fracture of the left humerus, status post left biceps tendon repair are currently rated at 30 percent. The Board finds that this rating is not adequate to reflect his current level of disability.,The veteran's dyshydrotic eczema has been evaluated as 10 percent disabling since August 1996. The Board concludes that a higher evaluation is not warranted for this condition.,For the period from August 1, 1996 to May 7, 1998, the veteran's tinnitus was rated at zero percent (noncompensable). The Board finds that no compensable rating is warranted during this time frame.

The Board has granted service connection for tinea corporis and assigned a 10 percent rating, effective from November 28, 1995. Attorney fees are payable based on past-due benefits stemming from this decision.

The veteran's skin condition, stomach problems, migraine headaches, dysthymic disorder, and allergic rhinitis are not service-connected. The joint pain is considered a chronic disability due to undiagnosed illness as per the Persian Gulf War criteria. Residuals of a hysterectomy are also considered a chronic disability due to undiagnosed illness.

The Board has determined that the veteran's skin disorder, claimed as psoriasis, clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service and was not aggravated by active duty service. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.