Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection of major depression and TDIU benefits, finding that the earliest possible effective dates were April 7, 2009.

The Veteran's skin disability is remanded for additional examination and treatment records to determine the current severity of his service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support a link between the Veteran's in-service military sexual trauma and his current psychiatric disorder. The other issues were dismissed due to withdrawal of appeals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange. Additional development is needed to verify his reported exposures in Puerto Rico.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for psoriasis is reopened and granted. The appeal for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including asbestosis, chronic bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis, is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available.,His tinea pedis is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder condition and skin disorders due to inadequate opinions regarding causation and aggravation. The Veteran's right shoulder condition may be aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder, but this needs further clarification. For the skin disorders, there is a need for an opinion on whether they are related to service or pre-existing conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder condition and skin disorders due to inadequate opinions regarding causation and aggravation. The Veteran's right shoulder condition may be aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder, but this needs further clarification. For the skin disorders, there is a need for an opinion on whether they are related to service or pre-existing conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for sinusitis, back disability (including scoliosis with sciatica), upper respiratory infection, bilateral knee degenerative disc disease, hiatal hernia, and folliculitis. The remand requests additional examinations and reviews of records.

The Veteran's service-connected folliculitis barbae is rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there has been no demonstration of systemic therapy or more than 40% body surface area affected.

The Board has decided to remand four issues: reopening the service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, rating a left foot strain with hallux valgus and calluses, rating a costochondral strain of the left chest wall, and rating headaches. The Veteran is also asked to provide medical records from Hillside Family Center and complete a VA Form 21-8940.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied, while his claim to reopen a previous denial of service connection for a skin disorder was granted. Service connection is established for folliculitis but not for other skin disorders.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine spondylosis, left ankle sprain, residuals of a broken nose, tuberculosis (TB), and psoriasis as they are not related to active duty service.,Service connection was also denied for bladder cancer due to occupational exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus was denied. The Board found that the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent is already assigned, and no higher rating can be granted under Diagnostic Code 6260.

The Veteran's left foot disability, migraine headaches, PTSD, GAD, acid reflux, penile deformity with erectile dysfunction, PFB, scar of the dorsal surface of the left foot, and painful scar of the left foot are all service connected. The Veteran is granted an initial rating of at least 30 percent for his migraine headaches.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran has a current skin disorder related to service, and to assess the severity of his left knee patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board denied service connection for tinea pedis and remanded the issue of entitlement to an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral foot disability (flat feet and plantar fasciitis), and psoriasis due to new evidence obtained after the March 2009 rating decision. The claims will be adjudicated on a de novo basis.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for service-connected acne with rosacea is remanded due to the need for a contemporaneous examination and updated treatment records.

The claim for service connection of ischemic heart disease is dismissed. The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.