BVA decisions by condition
Dermatophytosis: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a dermatophytosis issue in 682 decisions. It granted the dermatophytosis issue in 20.2% of them, close to the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 66.6%, and remanded it in 16.0%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 23.3% were granted.
Decisions
682
2018–2026
Granted
20.2%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
23.3%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
16.0%
Denied: 66.6%
Dermatophytosis outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 50 | 14.0% | 66.0% | 22.0% |
| 2020 | 76 | 21.1% | 65.8% | 25.0% |
| 2021 | 92 | 22.8% | 65.2% | 15.2% |
| 2022 | 65 | 23.1% | 49.2% | 26.2% |
| 2023 | 79 | 24.1% | 59.5% | 17.7% |
| 2024 | 107 | 23.4% | 71.0% | 9.3% |
| 2025 | 124 | 16.1% | 78.2% | 8.1% |
Evidence in granted and denied dermatophytosis decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the dermatophytosis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Favorable VA exam | 117 | 45.5% | 18.1% | +27.4 pts |
| Combat service | 41 | 41.4% | 22.4% | +19.0 pts |
| Positive nexus opinion | 82 | 34.7% | 21.7% | +13.0 pts |
| Lay statement | 595 | 23.9% | 19.1% | +4.7 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 192 | 25.0% | 22.6% | +2.4 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 63.0% of the decisions that granted dermatophytosis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 32.6% of grants and 25.3% 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 dermatophytosis 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 | 290 | 23.7% | 23.1% | +0.6 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 612 | 21.3% | 50.0% | −28.7 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied dermatophytosis
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established7
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim4
- Service connection established3
- Continuity of symptomatology since service3
- Criteria for 10 percent rating met2
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim37
- No systemic therapy required20
- Did not meet criteria for compensable rating18
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service14
- Did not require systemic therapy12
- Evidence persuasively weighs against compensable rating10
- Condition affects less than 5% of body/exposed areas10
- No scarring or disfigurement8
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 dermatophytosis decisions
Granted
Constant or near-constant use of topical hydrocortisone cream; Veteran's testimony regarding cream use was credible; Reasonable doubt resolved in veteran's favor
Veteran's testimony regarding affected areas found credible; Condition affected 5-20% of exposed areas; Higher rating denied due to lack of characteristic lesions or systemic therapy
VA foot examination diagnosed tinea pedis; Service treatment records show foot issues; Veteran's testimony competent regarding onset/persistence; Benefit of the doubt resolved in veteran's favor
Denied
Condition affected less than 20 percent of the entire body; Condition did not require systemic therapy; No evidence of characteristic lesions involving 20-40% of body/exposed areas
Failure to attend scheduled VA examination without good cause; New examination necessary to establish current diagnosis; No evidence of record for current tinea pedis
Condition affected less than 5% of body area.; Condition affected no exposed areas.; Only topical therapy was required.
Rules that apply to dermatophytosis 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 dermatophytosis 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 dermatophytosis 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 (2018–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.