The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for eczema is granted. The Board finds that the criteria for a maximum 60 percent disability rating have been approximated since the beginning of the claim.,A VA mental health examination is needed to determine if the Veteran’s acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety, had its onset during service or is otherwise related to an in-service stressor. The examiner should also provide an opinion on whether it was caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability, specifically eczema.,A VA neurological examination is needed to determine if the Veteran has a current neurological disorder in his lower extremities and to assess its relationship to his military service. The examiner should also provide an opinion on whether it was caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability, specifically a lumbar spine disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's eczema affected more than 40 percent of his total body area throughout the appeal period.,The VA examiner’s findings were based only on the eczema seen on the fingers and ankles. The photographs showed eczema in other parts of the body, which was not considered in determining the percentage of affected areas.,The Veteran reported that he had observed eczema in his peroneal region and calves since previously examined in 2012. This information was not taken into account when assessing the extent of the eczema's impact on the Veteran’s body.
- Claimed conditions
- eczema, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), neurological disorder in the right lower extremity, neurological disorder in the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19191023
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 19191023.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for eczema, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's eczema is related to herbicide agent exposure in service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and denied increased ratings for various disabilities, but granted a separate rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy from October 20, 2020.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or housebound status due to her service-connected disabilities not meeting the criteria.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for joint pains, CFS, allergic rhinitis, eczema, IBS, hypertension, hypothyroidism, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence of a current disability or that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active duty service.
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