Dermatitis VA Rating

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA) recognizes dermatitis as a disabling medical condition. 

The VA assigns dermatitis VA ratings of 0%, 10%, 30%, and 60%, depending upon the severity of your condition.

If you need help obtaining a VA rating for dermatitis, please call Stone Rose Law at (480) 498-8998 or use our contact form to get in touch with a VA disability attorney for a free consultation.

VA Disability Ratings for Dermatitis

If you have a qualifying dermatitis condition, you can receive a disability rating for it. 

The VA assigns individual dermatitis disability ratings of 0%, 10%, 30%, and 60%. Dermatitis can also be the basis for a total disability rating, alone or in combination with other disability ratings, through Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The VA uses a rating formula to assess the severity of dermatitis based on how much of your body is affected and the immunosuppressive topical therapy required to manage symptoms.

Disability Rating	VA Disability Claim Eligibility Criteria
0%	No more than topical therapy is required to treat the condition over the past 12-month period.At least one of the following also applies: Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of the entire body affected; orCharacteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of exposed areas affected; orDisfigurement of the head, face, or neck, or scars, depending upon the predominant disability.This disability rating is ineligible for monthly disability compensation. But you are still eligible for VA healthcare benefits and other benefits.
10%	At least one of the following is present: Characteristic lesions involving at least 5 percent but less than 20 percent of the entire body affected; or At least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of exposed areas affected; orIntermittent systemic medication therapy, including but not limited to corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs, for a total duration of less than 6 weeks over the past 12 months.
30%	At least one of the following is present: Characteristic lesions involving 20 to 40 percent of the entire body or 20 to 40 percent of exposed areas affected; orSystemic therapy is needed, including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs for a total duration of 6 weeks or more, but not constantly, over the past 12 months.
60%	At least one of the following clinical manifestations is present: Characteristic lesions involving more than 40 percent of the entire body or more than 40 percent of exposed areas affected; or Constant or near-constant systemic therapy is needed, including but not limited to corticosteroid topical treatments, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, psoralen with long-wave ultraviolet-A light (PUVA), or other immunosuppressive drugs required over the past 12 months.

TDIU for Dermatitis

Dermatitis can, alone or in combination with other disabilities, qualify you to receive total disability benefits even if you do not have a 100% disability rating.

You can be eligible for TDIU if you satisfy the following conditions.

Schedular TDIU Benefits

• You must be unable to hold down substantially gainful employment, and either
• Have one disability with a rating of at least 60%, or
• Have a combined disability rating of at least 70%, with one individual disability rating of at least 40%.

Extraschedular TDIU Benefits

If you do not qualify for schedular TDIU, you may still be able to receive total disability benefits under extraschedular TDIU. 

If your VA regional office concludes that you have an exceptional or unusual disability that keeps you from substantially gainful employment, then the regional office can forward your benefits claim to the Director of Compensation and Pension Services, who can still award you TDIU disability benefits.

Types of Dermatitis Subject to VA Disability Ratings

Dermatitis can take any of several forms. None of these are subject to separate VA disability ratings, they all fall under the general rating formula for dermatitis. Subtypes of dermatitis include:

• Atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. Symptoms can be triggered by food allergens like peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, cow’s milk, wheat, shellfish, and seafood.
• Contact dermatitis, which occurs when you come into contact with something you are allergic to.
• Neurodermatitis, which can come from stress, anxiety, depression, nerve injuries, and other skin conditions.
• Nummular dermatitis, which can result from exposure to rough fabrics, dry environments, trauma, or injury to the skin like a burn, scrape, or insect bite.
• Seborrheic dermatitis, which can come from exposure to dry and cold climates, or from stress and increased androgen production.

It is possible to have multiple forms of dermatitis affecting different parts of your body, and to receive more than one VA rating for dermatitis.

Qualifying for a Dermatitis VA Rating

To receive VA disability benefits for dermatitis, you must be able to show the VA that you have a direct service connection, a secondary service-connected disability for dermatitis, or a presumptive service connection.

General Qualification Requirements

To receive VA disability benefits for any kind of service connection, both of the following must be true:

• You must have served at least 90 days on active duty, or active duty for training, or inactive duty for training. 
• You must not have received an Other Than Honorable, Bad Conduct, or Dishonorable discharge. 

Dermatitis as a Presumptive Service Connection

If you served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Gulf War (service in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and surrounding areas), and you have a current diagnosis of dermatitis, then you may qualify for a presumptive service connection. 

What this means is that you do not need to prove that a service connection exists.

Direct Service Connection for Dermatitis

Unless you qualify for a presumptive service connection for dermatitis, you can qualify to receive VA disability benefits by proving a direct connection between your military service and your present diagnosis of dermatitis. 

To do this, you must meet the following conditions:

• You must have a current diagnosis of dermatitis from a qualified healthcare professional.
• Your dermatitis condition must have been caused or aggravated by an in-service event or circumstance (a service connection). You can show this through medical evidence, including your military medical records as well as through written personal statements by you, your family, or others who were there at the time (also known as “buddy letters”).
• Your current dermatitis symptoms are at least as likely as not linked to the in-service event or circumstance, also known as a medical nexus.

What is a Current Dermatitis Diagnosis?

A current diagnosis means that you still have persistent and recurring dermatitis symptoms. The VA will accept a dermatitis diagnosis from any qualified medical professional, private or VA-affiliated.

Aggravated Service Connection for Dermatitis

If you had a dermatitis condition when you entered military service, and you can show that an in-service event or circumstance made this condition worse, then you can make a disability claim based on this worsening of your symptoms.

Secondary Service Connection for Dermatitis

If you have an existing VA disability rating, and the underlying medical condition for this disability claim caused your dermatitis condition, then you can qualify for disability compensation for dermatitis this way.

When you make a claim for dermatitis as a secondary condition, you do not need to show evidence of an in-service event, injury, or illness. Instead, the nexus needs to be between your pre-existing disability and the onset of the dermatitis condition.

Examples of pre-existing VA-recognized disabilities that can lead to a dermatitis VA rating as a secondary condition include:

• Stress and Anxiety: High levels of stress, anxiety, and depression can affect your immune system and skin health, potentially triggering or worsening seborrheic dermatitis.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Chronic stress and anxiety associated with PTSD can exacerbate seborrheic dermatitis symptoms.

Compensation and Pension (C&P) Exam for Dermatitis

After you submit your claim for dermatitis veterans benefits, the VA will schedule you for a C&P exam. The purpose of this exam is to provide the VA with additional information to determine if you have a service-connected disability and to help establish your disability compensation rating.

A VA examiner conducts your scheduled C&P exam. The exam for dermatitis will ordinarily include:

• A review of your military and VA medical records connected with your claim.
• The VA examiner will ask you questions about your dermatitis condition and its effects on your ability to work and to engage in daily life activities.
• A physical examination.

When the C&P exam is complete, the VA examiner will prepare a written report for the VA to consider. You are entitled to receive a copy of this report, which your attorney can obtain for you if you hire a veterans disability benefits lawyer to assist with your claim.

A C&P exam is not optional if the VA schedules you for one. It is important to attend the exam; if you fail to do so, it could result in a delay of your claim processing or even a claim denial.

Did the VA Deny Your Initial Claim for a Dermatitis VA Rating?

The VA does not always approve initial benefits claims for dermatitis conditions. This can be because of an incomplete claim packet, not having enough supporting evidence, or sometimes the VA can make a mistake in processing your claim.

Regardless of the reason for claim denial, you have options to overcome it. These include:

• Filing a supplemental claim with new and relevant evidence to support your application.
• Requesting a higher-level review of your initial claim by the VA.
• Submitting an appeal with the VA Board of Appeals.

Your VA disability benefits lawyer can help you choose the best option for your specific case.

Talk With an Experienced VA Benefits Attorney About Your Dermatitis Claim

At Stone Rose Law, our experienced VA disability lawyers help veterans with initial VA disability compensation claims, supplemental claims, and denied claim appeals, including claims for dermatitis VA ratings. Initial case evaluations are always free, and we can answer any questions you have about the VA claim process.

Call us at (480) 498-8998 or contact us online to set up a confidential, complimentary consultation with a veterans law attorney.