The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that a new VA examination is necessary to clarify the current severity of the Veteran's PFB and determine if any medications used during the appeal period are systemic therapy 'like' corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs.
- Claimed conditions
- Pseudofolliculitis Barbae
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20072023
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing was denied as he does not meet the criteria due to his ability to independently ambulate with the use of braces.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder of generalized anxiety disorder and depressive disorder, as secondary to the service-connected left ankle disability. Service connection was also granted for pseudofolliculitis barbae, and a 20 percent rating was assigned for left ankle achilles tendonitis from October 23, 2023.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for left knee strain and right leg shin splints, granted a 10 percent rating for right ankle strain, and remanded several other issues including service connection claims.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder is granted an initial rating of 50 percent, and some claims for service connection are denied while others are remanded.
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