The Board has determined that the veteran's Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (PCT) is likely due to exposure to herbicides during service, specifically Agent Orange. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.
The deciding factor: The VA medical expert opined that the veteran's recurrent vesicular rash of the hands was an early manifestation of PCT, which can be linked to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange.
- Claimed conditions
- Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (PCT)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 27, 2001
- Citation
- 0126782
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 0126782.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (PCT) due to it being a presumptively associated disease with herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical examination and unclear rating criteria application. The Veteran's skin disability is now rated as Porphyria Cutanea Tarda with dyshidrotic eczema, effective August 22, 2019.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus was denied, and his service connection claim for a skin condition including PCT due to herbicide exposure was remanded. The Board found no evidence of diabetic complications warranting separate ratings or any compensable conditions related to the Veteran's diabetes. For the skin condition claim, the Board noted that there is no record of a diagnosis of PCT and the Veteran’s current skin disabilities are not linked to his in-service herbicide exposure.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, diagnosed as Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (PCT), is reopened and granted due to herbicide agent exposure. The Board found that the evidence supports the diagnosis of PCT.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.