BVA decisions by condition
Diseases of keratinization: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a diseases of keratinization issue in 1,021 decisions. It granted the diseases of keratinization issue in 11.5% of them, below the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 37.9%, and remanded it in 49.8%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 23.2% were granted.
Decisions
1,021
2018–2026
Granted
11.5%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
23.2%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
49.8%
Denied: 37.9%
Diseases of keratinization outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 80 | 10.0% | 28.7% | 62.5% |
| 2019 | 146 | 12.3% | 39.0% | 48.6% |
| 2020 | 113 | 8.8% | 44.2% | 46.0% |
| 2021 | 133 | 6.0% | 39.1% | 51.9% |
| 2022 | 122 | 10.7% | 35.2% | 53.3% |
| 2023 | 126 | 13.5% | 23.0% | 62.7% |
| 2024 | 117 | 13.7% | 41.9% | 44.4% |
| 2025 | 132 | 13.6% | 44.7% | 40.9% |
| 2026 | 52 | 17.3% | 48.1% | 30.8% |
Evidence in granted and denied diseases of keratinization decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the diseases of keratinization 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 | 133 | 46.4% | 18.6% | +27.9 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 125 | 39.8% | 19.7% | +20.1 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 163 | 40.4% | 21.0% | +19.3 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 257 | 36.4% | 18.1% | +18.3 pts |
| Combat service | 82 | 29.2% | 22.6% | +6.6 pts |
| Lay statement | 814 | 22.9% | 24.4% | −1.5 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 64.1% of the decisions that granted diseases of keratinization.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 34.2% of grants and 12.4% 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 diseases of keratinization 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 725 | 23.3% | 23.0% | +0.3 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 497 | 20.4% | 26.5% | −6.1 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied diseases of keratinization
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established15
- Criteria for service connection met6
- Caused by the service-connected disability4
- Service connection granted3
- Service connection established2
- Granted service connection2
- New and material evidence submitted2
- Criteria for 10 percent rating met2
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis49
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim46
- Current diagnosis established32
- Service records negative or silent29
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis26
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service24
- Criteria for service connection not met11
- No systemic therapy required8
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 diseases of keratinization decisions
Granted
Secondary to service-connected morbid obesity; 38 C.F.R. § 3.102 criteria met
Evidence evenly balanced; Benefit of doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
Private physician nexus opinion; Medical literature supports TCE-Caused alopecia; Disregarded conflicting VA C&P opinion
Denied
No current diagnosis of a skin disability.; No private or VA medical records showing diagnosis or treatment.; VA examiner opined Veteran did not have a skin disability.
No current diagnosis of blisters of bilateral feet; No competent evidence of blisters of bilateral feet; Veteran conceded resolution of complaint; Post-service medical records contain no diagnosis or treatment
December 2024 VA exam noted xerosis cutis affecting less than 5% of body/exposed areas.; Veteran reported symptoms requiring prescription topical treatments, but this was not corroborated.; No VA or private treatment records documented prescribed medications for xerosis cutis.
Rules that apply to diseases of keratinization 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 diseases of keratinization 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 diseases of keratinization 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.