The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for alopecia areata, finding that her disability was not manifested by loss of all body hair and did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable regulations.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record failed to show that the Veteran's alopecia areata had resulted in scarring, disfigurement, or loss of all body hair at any point during the appeal period, thus failing to warrant a compensable rating.
- Claimed conditions
- alopecia areata
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25023610
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for tension headaches and a 50 percent rating for left knee strain, limitation of extension, while denying ratings in excess of 30 percent for TMJ and a compensable rating for alopecia areata. The decision also granted 20 percent ratings for left and right knee strains with limitations on flexion and extension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for alopecia areata as due to the Veteran's service-connected thyroid disability, effective March 23, 2023.
- Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of the 10 percent rating for rhinitis, effective February 6, 2023, and denied compensable ratings for alopecia areata, right hand ring finger sprain, and right handle little finger sprain. The Board remanded claims for service connection for a left hand disability, left knee condition, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and sleep disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection for depression disorder and PTSD, as there was no evidence of a current disability. The claims for a bilateral foot disorder and alopecia areata were remanded for further development.
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