The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of seborrheic dermatitis, and a 10 percent evaluation for his service-connected bilateral otitis externa. The skin condition is rated as direct service connection without any presumption or secondary theory. The ear condition requires frequent and prolonged treatment.
The deciding factor: The clinical evidence shows that the veteran's service-connected seborrheic dermatitis involves the scalp, chest, ears, eyebrow areas, and right axilla with slight scaling erythema and itching under control in January 1999. His bilateral otitis externa is chronic and requires prolonged treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- Seborrheic dermatitis, Bilateral otitis externa
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- August 4, 2000
- Citation
- 0020546
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 0020546.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder as it was caused by the Veteran's service-connected skin disabilities. The other issues were remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and service connection for various skin disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating or establish a link between the claimed conditions and his military service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for seborrheic dermatitis, diabetes mellitus II, left and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. However, it granted an initial 40 percent rating for both the right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as a 10 percent rating for hypertension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial compensable rating for seborrheic dermatitis, service connection for hypertension, and service connection for dry eyes to obtain additional evidence.
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