The Board remands the claims for a new VA examination to reassess the severity of pseudofolliculitis barbae and to obtain any outstanding VA treatment records, as well as readjudicate the service connection claim for facial scars.
The deciding factor: The January 2022 VA medical examination is inadequate because it did not consider the Veteran's symptoms during flare-ups and seasonal changes. Additionally, there are outstanding VA treatment records that need to be obtained.
- Claimed conditions
- pseudofolliculitis barbae, scars to the face, right elbow arthritis, right knee arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2024
- Citation
- A24073504
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 Board denied an initial compensable disability rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae as the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection for the claimed conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as it is unclear whether the Veteran's claimed conditions are due to any incident of his period of active service.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, left foot swelling/pain, a left ankle condition, and tinnitus.
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