The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation higher than 10 percent for chronic dermatitis is being remanded due to the RO not substantially complying with the Board's prior remand instructions. The case will be readjudicated after obtaining additional medical opinions and considering all relevant evidence.
The deciding factor: The VA did not comply with the March 2023 remand instructions, which required an addendum opinion from a clinician with expertise in dermatological conditions to determine if the Veteran's treatment for his chronic dermatitis was appropriately characterized as topical therapy or systemic therapy.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Dermatitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 23, 2024
- Citation
- 24003381
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 154 · Granted: 38% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 24003381.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Chronic Dermatitis were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's CFS did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as his symptoms restricted routine daily activities to less than 50 percent of the pre-illness level. For Chronic Dermatitis, the Board determined that topical therapy was sufficient without requiring systemic therapy.
- Denied
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated at 50% and denied an increased rating.,The Veteran's chronic dermatitis is rated at 60% and denied an increased rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's right ear scar and chronic dermatitis are rated at 30 percent, with an additional 10 percent for the painful and unstable nature of the scar. The appeal is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hepatitis B, chronic dermatitis, and a low back disability have been denied. The claim for TDIU prior to July 2, 2021, remains pending.
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