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Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (Agent Orange)
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.118 (Skin) · reviewed 2026-05-27 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (Agent Orange) is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 7815 of 38 CFR § 4.118, DC 7815 across 4 severity tiers (60% / 30% / 10% / 0%). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.
OVERVIEW
Skin disorder causing blistering, fragile skin, and photosensitivity. Presumptive for Agent Orange-exposed veterans. Must have manifested within a year of exposure. Caused by abnormal porphyrin metabolism.
RATING CRITERIA (4 LEVELS)
60%
Per General Rating Formula for the Skin (DCs 7806, 7809, 7813-7816, 7820-7822, and 7824), at least one of the following: 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 including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, psoralen with long-wave ultraviolet-A light (PUVA), or other immunosuppressive drugs required over the past 12-month period.
30%
Per General Rating Formula for the Skin, at least one of the following: Characteristic lesions involving 20 to 40 percent of the entire body or 20 to 40 percent of exposed areas affected; OR Systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs required for a total duration of 6 weeks or more, but not constantly, over the past 12-month period.
10%
Per General Rating Formula for the Skin, at least one of the following: 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; OR Intermittent systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs required for a total duration of less than 6 weeks over the past 12-month period.
0%
Per General Rating Formula for the Skin: No more than topical therapy required over the past 12-month period and at least one of the following: Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of the entire body affected; OR Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of exposed areas affected. Or rate as disfigurement of the head, face, or neck (DC 7800) or scars (DCs 7801, 7802, 7804, or 7805), depending upon the predominant disability.
KEY EVIDENCE TO GATHER
-Service treatment records showing injury or complaints
-Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)
-Range of motion measurements
-Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin
-Buddy statements describing limitations
-Prescription history
-Physical therapy records
-Employment impact documentation
C&P EXAM TIPS (6)
1.Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.
2.Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.
3.Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.
4.Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).
5.If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.
6.Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL
Rating criteria text quoted verbatim from 38 C.F.R. § 4.118 (Skin). Source verified 2026-05-27 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team during a regulation-text comparison against the Cornell Law CFR mirror; eCFR.gov is the authoritative government source.
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026