The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to an effective date of March 31, 2001 for service connection of his hidradenitis surgery scars associated with PFB. The issues of rating and SMC are remanded.
The deciding factor: The claim was continuously pursued from when the Veteran initially filed a claim in April 2001, which included the hidradenitis surgery scars as part of his service-connected PFB disability.
- Claimed conditions
- hidradenitis surgery, hidradenitis suppurativa, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), scars from hidradenitis surgery associated with PFB
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 23, 2023
- Citation
- 23018300
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 23018300.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.,Service connection is denied for tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) and remanded the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, PFB, and an earlier effective date for service connection of PFB.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for painful pseudofolliculitis barbae scars is granted, and service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and left ear hearing loss are both granted. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae scars remains pending.
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