The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability other than acne or dermatitis, finding that her current skin conditions are not related to her in-service skin conditions and do not meet the criteria for direct, secondary, or presumptive service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners provided negative opinions regarding the nexus between the Veteran's current skin conditions and her in-service skin conditions, as well as her service-connected dermatitis, acne, or PTSD with depression and TBI. The examiners also concluded that the Veteran's skin conditions are not related to her service in the Persian Gulf.
- Claimed conditions
- xerosis, confluent and reticulated papillomatosis (CARP), folliculitis, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, intertrigo, keratoderma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 9, 2023
- Citation
- 23049949
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 23049949.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for pseudofolliculitis barbae and hypertrophic scarring as secondary to now service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae are granted. The remaining claims of entitlement to service connection for a skin condition other than pseudofolliculitis barbae, bilateral toenail fungus, and genital warts or syphilis are remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's skin disability (atopic dermatitis, folliculitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and seborrheic keratosis) on a direct basis. The decision finds that there is at least an equipoise of evidence to support the claim, thus resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for xerosis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including exposure to chemical irritants such as petroleum oil.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin disorder, including epidermal inclusion cysts. The decision is based on inadequate VA examinations and a duty to assist error before the May 2025 rating decision.
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