Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his request for an increased rating for contact dermatitis of the right hand, were all denied by the Board. The decision is based on the lack of new and material evidence to reopen the claims for hearing loss and tinnitus, and the fact that the Veteran's current skin condition does not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a skin disorder of the face (pseudofolliculitis barbae) as there is no evidence showing it began during or was caused by his military service.

The Board has remanded four claims: PTSD, left knee internal derangement, skin disorder, and TDIU. The Veteran's PTSD may have worsened since the last examination in November 2016, and VA treatment records indicate moderately severe depression and very severe PTSD symptoms. Remand is also requested for obtaining private psychological treatment records and pertinent private medical records from Florida Sports and Spinal Rehab.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and his previously reopened claim for TBI residuals was also denied. The Board found insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's acneiform papular eruption is presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicide agents during service in the Republic of Vietnam, and he has been granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not present in service or for many years thereafter and is not otherwise related to service.,The Veteran’s acne pre-existed service; it was not aggravated beyond its natural progression by or during service.

The Veteran's headaches and low back disability are granted service connection as they had their onset during her period of active duty. Other conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, were not connected to service.

The Veteran's service-connected skin disability, hidradenitis suppurativa and nodular acne, needs to be re-evaluated due to a lack of recent VA examination. The case is being remanded for a new evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low testosterone levels and a skin disability due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions as secondary to his service-connected disabilities or due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence in his service treatment records and a need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection and rating for various conditions, including chest pain, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disorder, upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, right shoulder disorder, acne, facial scars, flatfoot, hypertension, memory loss, bipolar disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including panic disorder with agoraphobia and depressive disorder), and migraines. The remand requires obtaining relevant VA treatment records, conducting additional examinations to determine the etiology of diagnosed conditions, and scheduling a new examination for migraines.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and psoriasis. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence of a current disability that began during or was related to his military service.,Service connection for PTSD could not be established due to lack of verified stressors, while the diagnoses of anxiety and depressive disorders did not meet the criteria for PTSD under DSM-5.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in its April 2018 decision regarding the Veteran's tinea cruris, specifically whether his topical antifungal and hydrocortisone treatment constituted systemic therapy.

The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with the previous remand directives and thus, the case is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) as there is no current diagnosis of this condition, and therefore, it cannot be linked to his military service.

The Board has determined that the VA did not fully comply with its previous remand directives and has ordered another remand to ensure all relevant documents are associated, obtain an FCE, and a VRC assessment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment as of February 29, 2020. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his service-connected disabilities alone are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for a compensable rating for onychomycosis and tinea pedis, and denied his claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypothyroidism, status post thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter is granted as related to in-service exposure to ionizing radiation. The effective date of the award of service connection for eczema is set at September 25, 2017, which was within one year of the Veteran's intent to file a claim. Hearing loss and sleep apnea are remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 28, 2005. TDIU is granted.