Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for hypertension, migraine headaches (secondary to chronic sinusitis), and bilateral foot tinea pedis require additional development due to inadequate medical opinions and missing records.

The Board found that a rating in excess of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea is not warranted and remanded the issues related to left knee strain, unspecified depressive disorder, shin splints, maxillary sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, hypertension, and tinea corporis. The Veteran's service connection claims are pending.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, as COPD and other conditions were ruled out. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran’s heart disability to his service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for psoriasis is granted, with an effective date of May 29, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for seborrheic dermatitis and lichen simplex, finding that the conditions did not manifest in service or are otherwise unrelated to service.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher evaluation for his service-connected eczema is remanded due to the need for additional evidence and clarification of the extent and treatment of his condition.

The Board dismissed the appeals for initial compensable ratings for various conditions as the appellant requested withdrawal of these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist disability, an eye disability, and tinea pedis are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding her service connection claims for various hand, elbow, forearm, and wrist disabilities. The Board will schedule a VA Gulf War examination to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed bilateral elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand pain.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, and will be reconsidered after further review.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating higher than 30 percent for eczema was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a 60 percent rating under DC 7806, and thus denied the claim. The issue of service connection for pes planus is remanded for further development.

The case is being remanded due to the need for additional development and clarification of the Veteran's skin disability ratings, including the extent of involvement, duration, and frequency of flares.

The Veteran's folliculitis decalvans and related conditions are being remanded for further evaluation, including consideration of painful scars under DC 7804 and the appropriateness of separate ratings under DC 7800 and DC 7806.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected PTSD and other disabilities preventing him from obtaining or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board is remanding the case again to determine if the Veteran's facial skin disorder, including Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB), is related to his service, specifically a documented snakebite in June 1980. Additional medical records are needed for this determination.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for shin splints and bilateral hearing loss, but denied service connection for neck disorder and psoriasis.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for psoriasis is remanded as it requires an opinion on its etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted, but the rating for lateral instability of the left knee was denied. The claim for PFB was also granted.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as incurred in service. The heart disease, psoriasis, and arthritis claims are remanded for additional development.