The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae and a higher disability rating for his service-connected depressive disorder, finding that the evidence did not support increased ratings.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's PFB was not active during the rating period and had no characteristic lesions or scarring. His psychiatric symptoms did not cause total occupational and social impairment as required for a 100 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), Unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25109046
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,893 · Granted: 31% (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 A25109046.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of allergic rhinitis. Service connection is granted for a skin disorder (Pseudofolliculitis barbae) and denied for a chronic cervical spine disorder.
- Granted
The Veteran's right ankle disability is granted a 20 percent rating, but no higher. The claim for a compensable rating for Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 70 percent for unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted, effective December 21, 2024. The claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity was restored to 20 percent, effective February 24, 2020. The Veteran's depressive disorder and scars were all granted increased ratings.
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