Scars decisions — 2001

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's acne scars, but denied service connection for his skin disorders (other than acne scars). The acne scars are found to be of service origin. However, there is no medical evidence establishing a causal link between the veteran's skin disorders and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's appeal is about her entitlement to service connection for a dental disorder, specifically scarring of the gums and infection of the gums, for purposes of receiving VA outpatient dental treatment. The RO should obtain additional records from Drs. Cara and Nishmura and conduct a VA examination to determine if any current dental disorders are related to her military service.

The veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for acne vulgaris and special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or being housebound are both pending. The Board has remanded the case to allow for further development, including a VA examination.

The veteran's service-connected postoperative residuals of excision of a basal cell epithelioma and scars on the head, face, and neck are now rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his scar on the anterior chest is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its impact on function and movement, including from a stroke.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful employment since August 24, 1993. The effective date for the total rating for compensation purposes based on unemployability is set at August 24, 1993.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for chloracne and resulting residual facial scars, which he claims are due to Agent Orange exposure during his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected post-surgical abdominal scar and post-surgical hair transplantation scars, finding that the conditions did not warrant higher evaluations based on the schedular criteria.

The Board has denied all claims for increased ratings as the evidence does not support a compensable rating for any of the conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and awarded a 10% disability rating for the veteran's head scar, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the tinnitus is related to service. The head scar is rated at 10% based on moderate disfigurement.

The Board has determined that the veteran's laceration scar above the left eye and traumatic arthritis of the low back are service-connected.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and PTSD, shell fragment wound scar of the right posterior chest wall, and fractured right tenth rib. The effective date for these grants of service connection was changed to March 5, 1997.

The Board has determined that there is no service-connected disability that caused or contributed to the veteran's death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected incision scars, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a temporary total disability evaluation and that the maximum schedular rating was appropriate.

The veteran's appeal includes requests for increased ratings for PTSD and a laceration scar. The case is being remanded to the RO so that he may be scheduled for a Travel Board hearing, and also because there are issues regarding service connection for shoulder problems (tendonitis) which have not been addressed yet.

The veteran's claims for initial compensable evaluations for scars of the lower lip and chin, napalm burn on the left index finger, and evaluation in excess of 50 percent for PTSD were denied. Service connection was granted for PTSD but not for the other conditions. The veteran also appealed for service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition and TDIU.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected scars do not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, and thus denied his claim for an increased rating.

The veteran's death was attributed to intractable pain at the site of a shrapnel wound, but the appeal is unclear on whether service connection for the cause of death or dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 should be granted.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her service-connected scars were denied by the M&ROC in June 1999.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 1, 1978 for the award of DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.