The Veteran's cellulitis has not covered more than 20 to 40 percent of the entire body or exposed areas, and he did not require systemic therapy for a total duration of six weeks or more during the past year. Therefore, his claim for an increased rating is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's cellulitis does not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating under either the old or new versions of DC 7820/DC 7806 due to insufficient coverage and systemic therapy duration.
- Claimed conditions
- Cellulitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 20, 2024
- Citation
- A24076482
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 A24076482.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for cellulitis, which covers at least 5 percent but less than 20 percent of the Veteran's total body area and at least 5 percent but less than 20 percent of exposed areas affected. The decision satisfies the Veteran's appeal as he testified that this rating would be satisfactory.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected cellulitis, as the evidence did not support a higher rating.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, secondary to a service-connected back condition. The claims for cellulitis and hypertension were denied, while the claims for left and right knee conditions were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected cellulitis, as the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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