The Board granted a 50 percent rating for markedly disfiguring scars due to cystic acne of the face, and separately assigned a 10 percent rating for painful and tender scars due to cystic acne of the face.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran's scars were markedly disfiguring and caused pain and tenderness, warranting higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- cystic acne of the face, epidermal inclusion cysts
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- March 24, 2003
- Citation
- 0305490
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,196 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0305490.
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 has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin disorder, including epidermal inclusion cysts. The decision is based on inadequate VA examinations and a duty to assist error before the May 2025 rating decision.
- Denied
The Board denied both the claim for service connection and the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of cyst removal on spinal area, finding no link between the Veteran's condition and his military service or exposure to herbicides.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected epidermal inclusion cysts and tinea versicolor were rated as non-compensable due to the lack of more than topical therapy required during the past 12 months.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted annual VA clothing allowances for the use of benzoyl peroxide 5% to treat his service-connected cysts affecting his back, chest, and legs (resulting in damage to his shirts) and legs (resulting in damage to his pants).
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