The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for PFB of the face and neck, as well as his lumbar spondylosis with degenerative disc disease prior to January 9, 2012, and subsequent ratings thereafter, was denied. The Board found that the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent were not met.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PFB did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7806 as it affected less than 20% of his entire body or exposed areas, and he was not taking intermittent systemic therapy such as corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs.
- Claimed conditions
- Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 22, 2017
- Citation
- 1734429
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 1734429.
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 to revise the effective date for a 50% disability rating for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) is dismissed because the July 2024 proposed rating decision was not an appealable determination.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for PFB is denied as the condition did not manifest through scarring or disfigurement during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection of chronic fatigue syndrome and vertigo are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The PFB claim is denied as the disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
- Granted
Service connection for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) is granted. The appeal of a deferral of service connection for PFB is dismissed.
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