The Board has determined that service connection is granted for seborrheic dermatitis of the face, but not for degenerative changes of the thoracic spine.
The deciding factor: Service medical records did not show any complaints or diagnoses of either condition during active duty. However, a VA examination and subsequent Line of Duty determination attributed the appellant's facial skin rash to his service in the Gulf War, including exposure to Chemical Agent Resistant Coating paint. For the thoracic spine issue, there was no evidence showing it was present within one year of separation from service or at any time thereafter.
- Claimed conditions
- seborrheic dermatitis, degenerative changes of thoracic spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2000
- Citation
- 0004313
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0004313.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for alopecia areata or alopecia androgenic, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and seborrheic dermatitis due to a need for additional evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating for dermatitis, variously diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitis, dermatophytosis, and tinea versicolor, prior to June 5, 2023, but denied a higher rating from that date. The issues related to Raynaud's syndrome and special monthly compensation were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for further development to ensure compliance with previous remand instructions, specifically regarding obtaining a medical opinion from an appropriate specialist and notifying the Veteran about the unavailability of his separation examination.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 30 percent rating for migraine headaches prior to December 5, 2016, and a 50 percent rating from May 31, 2024. The claims for increased ratings for Raynaud's syndrome and seborrheic dermatitis were denied.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.