Citation Nr: 21023659 Decision Date: 04/21/21 Archive Date: 04/21/21 DOCKET NO. 15-00 117 DATE: April 21, 2021 ORDER Entitlement to service connection for a skin disorder of the face, claimed as pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) and acne, is granted. FINDING OF FACT Resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, his skin disorder of the face is related to service. CONCLUSION OF LAW The criteria for entitlement to service connection for a skin disorder of the face, claimed as PFB and acne, have been met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1101, 5103, 5107; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303. REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION The Veteran had active duty military service from June 1982 to August 1989. This matter comes to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a June 2013 rating decision by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). In June 2018 and July 2020, the Board remanded the claim to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for additional development. A Supplemental Statement of the Case was issued in December 2020. Service Connection Service connection may be granted if the evidence demonstrates that current disability resulted from an injury suffered or disease contracted in active military, naval, or air service. 38 U.S.C. § 1110; 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(a). Establishing service connection generally requires competent evidence of three things: (1) current disability; (2) in-service injury or disease; and (3) a causal relationship between the two. Shedden v. Principi, 381 F.3d 1163, 1167 (Fed. Cir. 2004). Consistent with this framework, service connection is warranted for a disease first diagnosed after service when all the evidence, including that pertinent to service, establishes that the disease was incurred in service. 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(d). The Board must determine whether the evidence supports the claim or is in relative equipoise, with the Veteran prevailing in either case, or whether the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim, in which case, service connection must be denied. Gilbert v. Derwinski, 1 Vet. App. 49 (1990). Skin Disorder Initially, the Veteran contended entitlement to service connection for PFB; however, at no point during the appeal period did the Veteran have a diagnosis of PFB. During the November 2020 VA examination, the examiner indicated that the Veteran had a current diagnosis of acne. Additionally, she noted he had a “long-standing history of acne,” as noted in service treatment records dated December 1985. The Veteran’s service treatment records document complaints and treatment during his period of active service. During a January 1984 primary care clinic visit, skin problems for the past year were noted, and the Veteran was diagnosed with acne. In a dermatology clinic note from December 1985, the examiner noted that the Veteran had a long history of acne. The Veteran reported noticing exacerbations since coming to Biloxi. Pustules, papules, and multiple scars were noted on the Veteran’s face. The back and chest were clear. The Veteran has indicated experiencing recurrent skin conditions since that time. In view of the totality of the evidence, including the VA examiners recognition of in-service complaints and diagnosis of acne, a present diagnosis of acne, and the competent and credible lay assertions that the Veteran has had a skin condition of the face since service, the Board finds that the evidence is at least in relative equipoise regarding this issue. When the evidence is in relative equipoise, the benefit of the doubt doctrine provides that such reasonable doubt will be resolved in favor of the Veteran. See 38 U.S.C. § 5107(b); 38 C.F.R. § 3.102. Accordingly, service connection for acne is therefore warranted. H.M. WALKER Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board Krista Johnson, Associate Counsel The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.