The Board granted an increased disability rating of 50 percent for anxiety and major depressive disorder, but denied a compensable rating for seborrheic dermatitis. The claims for increased ratings for left brachial plexopathy, right knee osteoarthritis and chondromalacia patella, left knee osteoarthritis and chondromalacia patella, and service connection for right shoulder condition and leukopenia with neutropenia were remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's anxiety and MDD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent rating. The seborrheic dermatitis did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as it affected less than 5% of his body or exposed areas and required no more than topical therapy.
- Claimed conditions
- seborrheic dermatitis, anxiety and major depressive disorder (MDD), left sciatica nerve lesion, left brachial plexopathy, right knee osteoarthritis and chondromalacia patella, left knee osteoarthritis and chondromalacia patella, right shoulder condition (claimed as bilateral shoulder condition and bilateral bicep condition), leukopenia with neutropenia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- November 1, 2024
- Citation
- A24071004
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating for dermatitis, variously diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitis, dermatophytosis, and tinea versicolor, prior to June 5, 2023, but denied a higher rating from that date. The issues related to Raynaud's syndrome and special monthly compensation were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for further development to ensure compliance with previous remand instructions, specifically regarding obtaining a medical opinion from an appropriate specialist and notifying the Veteran about the unavailability of his separation examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a more contemporaneous examination to assess the current nature and severity of the Veteran's service-connected seborrheic dermatitis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), and seborrheic dermatitis, as the evidence did not support a current disability or a link to service. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder was remanded.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.