The Veteran's appeal was remanded for additional development. The case has been returned, and the AOJ found that the Veteran's PFB did not meet criteria for a compensable rating prior to June 1, 2023, or for an initial compensable rating for painful scars from October 25, 2018, to May 31, 2023. The AOJ also found that the Veteran's PFB did not meet criteria for a higher than 30 percent rating for painful scars beginning June 1, 2023.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations and non-VA medical records provided conflicting information regarding the severity of the Veteran's PFB and its impact on his ability to work. The AOJ found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating prior to June 1, 2023, or for an initial compensable rating for painful scars from October 25, 2018, to May 31, 2023.
- Claimed conditions
- Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2024
- Citation
- 24004787
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 896 · Granted: 51% (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 24004787.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal to revise the effective date for a 50% disability rating for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) is dismissed because the July 2024 proposed rating decision was not an appealable determination.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for PFB is denied as the condition did not manifest through scarring or disfigurement during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection of chronic fatigue syndrome and vertigo are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The PFB claim is denied as the disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
- Granted
Service connection for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) is granted. The appeal of a deferral of service connection for PFB is dismissed.
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