The Veteran's skin disability, including pseudofolliculitis barbae, folliculitis decalvans, and alopecia, was not service connected due to lack of post-service diagnosis. The Board has ordered a remand for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's skin disability was diagnosed in service but no current diagnosis could be established from post-service records, leading to the need for an examination to determine if there is a medical link between his active service and his current condition.
- Claimed conditions
- pseudofolliculitis barbae, folliculitis decalvans, alopecia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2021
- Citation
- 21010858
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 21010858.
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 Veteran's service-connected disabilities require regular aid and attendance, resulting in the grant of special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance. The issue of entitlement to special monthly compensation at the housebound rate is moot.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that new and relevant evidence has been received for the Veteran's claims of lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, RLE sciatica, LLE sciatica, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, hypothyroidism, alopecia, and solar urticaria. These claims are being remanded to allow for further examination and opinion regarding their etiology.
- Denied
The Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae is denied as there is no legal authority to assign an earlier effective date, and the RO has already assigned the earliest possible effective date for the award of service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for alopecia due to its determination that there is insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's alopecia was aggravated by his service-connected right radical orchiectomy.
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