The Board found that the veteran's skin disorders affecting his feet were present prior to service and did not undergo a permanent increase in severity during service, thus denying service connection.
The deciding factor: The pre-existing conditions of lichen simplex chronicus and tinea pedis were noted prior to service and did not show any aggravation during service. The veteran's current skin disorders are presumed to have been present before service entry.
- Claimed conditions
- dermatitis, athlete's foot, psoriasiform dermatitis, tinea pedis, dermatophytosis pedis, feet tinea, neurodermatitis, lichen simplex chronicus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 7, 2002
- Citation
- 0202208
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 0202208.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a left wrist condition was dismissed due to concurrent election of higher-level review. The claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral pes planus, and for service connection for hearing loss, neck strain, and dermatitis were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinea pedis and dismissed the claims for tinnitus, multiple sclerosis, neck condition, and low back condition.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection, higher ratings, and earlier effective dates, as well as dismissed his claim for a TDIU.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for hyperlipidemia as it is not a disability for VA purposes. The other claims were remanded for further development.
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