The Board has granted a second clothing allowance for calendar year 2016 for the use of topical creams used to treat service-connected burns on the right and left arms and hands, finding that the cocoa butter cream causes an increased rate of damage to outer garments compared to a back brace.
The deciding factor: The Board found it at least as likely as not that the cocoa butter cream used by the Veteran caused an increased rate of damage to his outer garments due to its use on service-connected burns, more so than the wear and tear from a back brace alone.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic renal disease, left carpal tunnel syndrome, residuals of second degree burns on the left arm and hand, residuals of first and second degree burns of the right arm and hand, mechanical back pain of the thoracic spine with spondylosis, hypertension, residuals of laceration of the left lower extremity, erectile dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20032226
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 20032226.
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
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