Skin conditions (dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis) Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a gastrointestinal disorder and pseudofolliculitis barbae are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA examination opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are mixed, with some issues granted and others not. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome or any other qualifying chronic disability that could be presumed due to undiagnosed illness in the Gulf War environment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations for her service-connected posttraumatic headaches and eczema remain in appellate status as the VA has not yet adjudicated them. The Board finds that a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The Veteran's claims for radiculopathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, sciatica of the bilateral lower extremities, and perifolliculitis are remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied the reopening of claims for service connection for tinea versicolor, conjunctivitis, presbyopia, and urinary tract infections. The claim for a right hand disability was previously denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Veteran's service connection claim for pseudofolliculitis barbae has been granted. The Board finds that the condition is of service origin.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD and lumbar spine degenerative disc disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims for bilateral hand disorder, CTS, sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea), skin disorder, TMJ, conjunctivitis, and bilateral foot disorder. However, these claims are reopened due to the submission of additional evidence related to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated based on limitation of motion, with no higher ratings warranted due to the lack of evidence supporting more severe limitations such as ankylosis or instability.,Pseudofolliculitis barbae has been rated in accordance with its manifestations, with a 50 percent rating prior to March 20, 2012 and no higher rating since that date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anal fissure was denied as he did not have the condition during the pendency of his appeal. The claims for higher initial ratings for left and right CTS, status post left and right wrist fractures, and tinea pedis are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for tinea cruris and tinea pedis with onychomycosis was denied. The Board found that the condition did not meet criteria for a higher evaluation under either the old or new rating criteria. Service connection for hypertension was also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's skin disorder, diagnosed as porokeratoses, tinea versicolor, and a rash, is not causally or etiologically related to his service. Therefore, service connection for this condition was denied.

The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae covers more than 40 percent of his face and neck, with flare-ups requiring near constant systemic treatment. The Board has granted a rating of 60% for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all claims except for service connection for a psychiatric disability and alcoholism. The remaining claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not establish a nexus between his current conditions and active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral tinea pedis and tinea manuum of the right hand are service-connected, with the latter condition found to be secondary to the former.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.