The veteran's atopic dermatitis covers less than 1.0 percent of his entire body, does not involve an exposed area, and requires only topical therapy for treatment, which is insufficient to warrant a compensable rating.
The deciding factor: The condition involves less than 5% of the entire body or exposed areas, and no more than topical therapy is required during the past 12-month period.
- Claimed conditions
- Atopic dermatitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2009
- Citation
- 0902993
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for increased ratings for PTSD, atopic dermatitis, and recurrent ingrown toenails due to the Veteran's absence from scheduled VA examinations.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD effective March 30, 1998, and dismissed the appeal for an increased initial rating for atopic dermatitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for atopic dermatitis to obtain additional information regarding the use of systemic therapy during the period on appeal.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for several conditions, including PTSD, bilateral pes planus with left plantar calcaneal spur, atopic dermatitis, and left hip trochanteric bursitis. However, the Board granted service connection for asthma due to presumed exposure during Gulf War service.
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