The veteran's claim for an increased rating for alopecia universalis is denied as there is no evidence of ulceration, extensive exfoliation or crusting, systemic manifestations, or exceptional repugnancy. The maximum evaluation under the revised criteria is 20 percent.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing that the veteran's alopecia universalis meets the criteria for a higher rating as defined by Diagnostic Code 7831 (rather severe alopecia areata) or Diagnostic Code 7830 (scarring alopecia).
- Claimed conditions
- alopecia universalis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 11, 2003
- Citation
- 0304389
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,547 · Granted: 20% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0304389.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for alopecia universalis was granted, and his initial compensable disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss was denied.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for skin rash, delayed wound healing, weight loss disability, alopecia universalis, and tachycardia (claimed as a heart disability).,No specific rating or effective date was assigned in this decision.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including depressive disorder, is granted as the evidence of record supports a finding that her psychiatric condition is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by her service-connected alopecia.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the veteran's alopecia universalis and headaches are due to undiagnosed illnesses related to his service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.
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