The Board denied service connection for a lower back cyst and granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent for acne vulgaris. The Veteran's lower back cyst claim was not supported by evidence showing it existed in service or is related to service, while her acne vulgaris meets the criteria for a 30 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The absence of objective evidence of an in-service cyst and current disability associated with a cyst outweighed the Veteran's lay statements. The VA examination did not provide sufficient information regarding the extent of disfigurement or scarring to warrant a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7828.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back cyst, acne vulgaris
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 4, 2009
- Citation
- 0920962
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 0920962.
What this means for you
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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 claim for service connection for eczema and acne vulgaris (skin conditions) to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board is remanding the claim for a new VA examination to address the nature and severity of the Veteran's acne vulgaris, including the January 2020 lay statement.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating greater than 10 percent prior to February 13, 2024, and greater than 30 percent thereafter for an acne condition but granted a separate evaluation for acne scars.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including high cholesterol, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as a compensable rating for acne vulgaris and migraine.
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