The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for hyperpigmentation of the anterior bilateral calves and service connection for a bilateral foot disability.
The deciding factor: The skin condition affected only 10 percent of the body surface area, and there was no evidence that it required systemic therapy or affected 20-40 percent of the entire body. For the foot claim, there were no in-service complaints or findings related to a bilateral foot disability, and the veteran's current symptoms did not meet the criteria for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Hyperpigmentation of the anterior bilateral calves, Bilateral foot disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 6, 2009
- Citation
- 0900481
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 was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a lung disability and a bilateral foot disability based on new evidence, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and colon cancer.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands several issues for further development, including service connection claims and an earlier effective date claim.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for PTSD and sleep disturbance, and remanded the claims for a right wrist disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right leg disability, left leg disability, and bilateral foot disability.
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