Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD, a body rash, and tinea pedis and right foot fungus due to incomplete development of records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for skin condition is granted. Service connection for an acne-form disorder is also granted, with chloracne being presumed due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for chronic bilateral hand tendonitis and bilateral foot tinea pedis due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for new opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of service treatment records and the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral tinea pedis is related to his in-service frostbite.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for pes planus, hallux valgus, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and pseudofolliculitis barbae due to new arguments and errors in previous decisions. The claims are being remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 60 percent rating for intermittent reactive dermatitis, effective October 1, 2016, finding that the reduction was improper due to lack of material improvement in his condition.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension and dermatitis was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a finding of direct service connection for either condition.

The Board denied service connection for a skin condition, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not have onset during active service and are not otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has denied restoration of a 10 percent rating for folliculitis barbae and remanded the issue of entitlement to an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD.

The Veteran's use of BenzePro for his service-connected seborrheic dermatitis causes irreparable damage to his outer garments, warranting an annual VA clothing allowance for the 2016 calendar year.

The Veteran is granted an annual VA clothing allowance for the year 2015 due to use of a skin medication (triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% ointment) prescribed for her service-connected eczema.

The Veteran's application for a clothing allowance due to irritable bowel syndrome was denied because hydrocortisone and pramoxine topical ointment do not cause irreparable damage to his outer garments, as determined by the VA.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in rating for allergic rhinitis, disfigurement of the neck, alopecia areata, or skin disability other than alopecia areata prior to September 1, 2009. A compensable rating was granted for skin disability other than alopecia areata from September 1, 2009.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his service connection claims for bilateral pes planus, lower back condition, pseudofolliculitis barbae, right shoulder condition, diabetes mellitus, left shoulder condition, left-hand degenerative joint disease (DJD), hypertension, and erectile dysfunction. The appeals are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for sarcoidosis, cervical spine disorder, and various other conditions have been reopened. The Board finds that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and folliculitis keloidalis nuchae were granted. The claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD was denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his skin conditions due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to determine the current severity of his dry skin rash, as well as the etiology of any diagnosed skin disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of right foot disability, heart palpitations (vascular signs), hypertension, and eczema are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board finds the VA examination inadequate and requires additional development including obtaining relevant medical records.

The veteran's nonservice-connected pension benefits are denied, and the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for eczema is remanded.

The Veteran's chronic acne vulgaris was rated at 50 percent disabling, which is the maximum benefit sought under the schedular criteria. The Board found that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.