The Veteran's narcolepsy is currently rated as 30 percent disabling, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of need for assistive breathing devices.,The Veteran's verruca vulgaris (warts) are not manifested by scars or disfigurement and do not affect more than 5% of her entire body or exposed areas. She has received intermittent systemic therapy, but the duration was less than six weeks in the past year.,The Veteran's hemorrhoids are rated noncompensable as they do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7336 due to lack of persistent bleeding and secondary anemia or fissures. The Board finds that remand is necessary to consider whether other diagnostic codes may apply.,The Veteran's acne does not result in any disfigurement or scarring, thus it cannot be rated as a compensable condition under Diagnostic Code 7828.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows the Veteran does not require assistive breathing devices for her narcolepsy and there is no indication that she meets the criteria for higher ratings based on other diagnostic codes.,The wart disability, while present, does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as it affects less than 5% of her entire body or exposed areas and has required intermittent systemic therapy but within the six-week limit in the past year.,The Veteran's hemorrhoids do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating due to lack of persistent bleeding and secondary anemia, thus remand is necessary to consider other diagnostic codes that may apply.,Acne does not result in any disfigurement or scarring, therefore it cannot be rated as a compensable condition under Diagnostic Code 7828.
- Claimed conditions
- narcolepsy, verruca vulgaris, bilateral hands (claimed as warts on both hands), hemorrhoids, acne
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2023
- Citation
- 23061985
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 23061985.
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 Veteran's effective date for the award of an 80 percent rating for narcolepsy is granted from August 11, 2015.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for hemorrhoids due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring an additional direct medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for narcolepsy due to seemingly contradictory findings in a January 2024 VA examination report that cannot be resolved through consideration of other evidence.
- Granted
The Board granted a 10 percent rating for hemorrhoids, which fully satisfies the Veteran's appeal.
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