BVA decisions by condition
Acne: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a acne issue in 1,627 decisions. It granted the acne issue in 17.3% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 37.1%, and remanded it in 44.6%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 31.8% were granted.
Decisions
1,627
2017–2026
Granted
17.3%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
31.8%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
44.6%
Denied: 37.1%
Acne outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 69 | 10.1% | 29.0% | 53.6% | 7.2% |
| 2018 | 131 | 9.2% | 33.6% | 52.7% | 4.6% |
| 2019 | 154 | 16.9% | 29.9% | 51.9% | 1.3% |
| 2020 | 196 | 15.8% | 37.8% | 45.4% | 1.0% |
| 2021 | 159 | 18.2% | 33.3% | 44.7% | 3.8% |
| 2022 | 181 | 19.3% | 24.9% | 54.7% | 1.1% |
| 2023 | 207 | 22.7% | 34.3% | 41.5% | 1.4% |
| 2024 | 216 | 16.2% | 40.7% | 40.7% | 2.3% |
| 2025 | 271 | 18.1% | 47.6% | 31.7% | 2.6% |
| 2026 | 102 | 17.6% | 48.0% | 32.4% | 2.0% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied acne decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the acne issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 213 | 52.8% | 27.7% | +25.1 pts |
| Combat service | 86 | 50.0% | 30.8% | +19.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 225 | 47.0% | 28.6% | +18.4 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 69 | 47.1% | 31.1% | +15.9 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 107 | 44.7% | 31.2% | +13.6 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 397 | 41.0% | 28.3% | +12.7 pts |
| Lay statement | 1,323 | 33.3% | 23.4% | +9.9 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 64.4% of the decisions that granted acne.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 43.1% of grants and 12.1% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often acne was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 711 | 29.4% | 33.8% | −4.5 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,182 | 29.5% | 40.1% | −10.6 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied acne
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established35
- Criteria for service connection met6
- Caused by the service-connected disability6
- Criteria for 10 percent rating met4
- Already at the maximum schedular rating3
- Presumption of aggravation applies3
- Favorable private medical opinion2
- Criteria for 30 percent rating met2
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis69
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim43
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis27
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service24
- Current diagnosis established22
- Service records negative or silent21
- Criteria for compensable rating not met15
- Did not meet criteria for compensable rating11
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent acne decisions
Granted
PFB confirmed in service treatment records; No-shave profile documented; Credible and competent lay testimony regarding continuity of symptoms
Probative evidence in relative equipoise regarding deep acne; Highest schedular rating granted
STRs show treatment and shaving profile; Inactive condition managed by growing facial hair; Condition would likely become active if shaving; Benefit of the doubt resolved in veteran's favor
Denied
Affected less than five percent of body; Did not require medication
Constant or near-constant use of immunosuppressive drugs warrants 60% rating under DC 7806; Evidence did not meet criteria for higher rating; Maximum rating for dermatitis or eczema under DC 7806 is 60%
No new and relevant evidence submitted; No current diagnosis of acne established; No in-service event or injury linked to acne
Rules that apply to acne claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your acne case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a acne issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.