The reduction of the disability rating for contact dermatitis and light sensitivity from 30 percent to 0 percent effective September 1, 2016 was improper. The Veteran's disability rating is restored.
The deciding factor: VA failed to comply with due process requirements in implementing the reduction of the disability rating.
- Claimed conditions
- contact dermatitis, light sensitivity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- April 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19124187
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,886 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19124187.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure.,The claim for a higher rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder was denied as the Veteran failed to report for an examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for contact dermatitis, multiple sclerosis, and eye disorder due to lack of current diagnoses. The claims are remanded as there were pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors in the original decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical opinion and failure to consider the Veteran's in-service chemical exposure. The Veteran's skin conditions are related to service, but a TERA opinion is needed.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed all appeals related to the veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, effective dates, and TDIU. The veteran withdrew his appeals in November 2025.
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