The Board denied service connection for a skin disorder, specifically chloracne, as it did not become manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more within one year of service separation and is not causally related to service. The claim for reopening the low back condition was also denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's skin disorder (chloracne) did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure as it did not manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more within one year of separation from service and is not causally related to service. The low back condition claim was denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- chloracne, other acneform diseases consistent with chloracne
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 9, 2015
- Citation
- 1538479
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 1538479.
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 Veteran's spouse is seeking to be substituted as the appellant for claims of service connection filed by the Veteran in August 2017. The AOJ has not yet determined whether she meets the requirements to substitute, and this issue must be remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's chloracne is presumed to be caused by his exposure to herbicide agents during service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for chloracne with pilonidal cyst associated with TERA participation was denied, and the claim for an effective date prior to July 29, 2024, for service connection was also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions and private treatment records.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.