The Veteran's PFB is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded to determine if a higher rating is warranted based on systemic therapy use.,Service connection for right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and left foot pes planus are denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PFB does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under current regulations due to lack of systemic therapy use.,There is insufficient evidence linking the Veteran's current ankle disabilities and pes planus to his military service, as there are no documented in-service injuries or diseases.
- Claimed conditions
- Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB), Right ankle disability, Left ankle disability, Left foot pes planus, Back disability, Right foot disability (other than pes planus), Left foot disability (other than pes planus), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 14, 2023
- Citation
- 23060707
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 23060707.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy but remanded the back disability claim for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
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