Scars decisions — 2003

The veteran's PTSD is not shown to impair occupational and social functioning beyond that contemplated by the current 70 percent rating. Increased evaluations for his service-connected scars are denied.

The Board granted service connection for a surgical scar on the right elbow and increased the evaluation of residuals of fractures to the right fourth and fifth metacarpals from 10 percent to 20 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for residuals of right ureteral calculus surgery and a suprapubic region scar, both currently rated at 10 percent.

The March 13, 1970 and November 16, 1970 rating decisions granted service connection for multiple disabilities but denied a claim of total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The veteran's combined schedular evaluation was increased to 80 percent. These decisions are considered final.

The Board found no evidence linking the left eye macular scar to service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for her appendectomy scar due to her failure to report for several VA examinations.

The VA has determined that the appellant's right chest scar from excision of a right gynecomastia does not warrant an increased rating beyond the current 10 percent assigned.

The VA determined that there is no evidence of a compensable disability for the veteran's status post Dupuytren's contracture release with residual scar of the left (minor) hand, and thus denied his claim.

The Board denied increased ratings for service-connected scars of the right lower leg and varicose veins of the right leg, finding that there was no evidence to support a compensable rating or any increase in disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for malaria, postoperative scarring on the right side of the neck, and cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis. The veteran's service-connected conditions are rated as 20 percent disabling for inactive cervical tuberculosis.

The VA has determined that the veteran's right hand scar is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The evidence does not establish that the veteran's current right wrist disorder with scar on forearm is related to service, and thus his claim for service connection is denied.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the service-connected scar on the ventral aspect of the penis, effective January 6, 1977. The initial compensable rating for scars on the legs was not granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a minimal head injury requiring sutures and resulting in a scar, as well as for headaches, both of which are deemed to be related to the veteran's service-connected hypertension.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected laceration scar, left eyebrow does not warrant an increased rating as it is not disfiguring or unstable and does not result in any functional limitation.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not due to his service-connected conditions and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The veteran's claim for increased evaluation of his staph scars was granted, with a rating of 30 percent effective from August 30, 2002. The claims for PTSD and low back disability were denied.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a separate 10 percent rating for his service-connected residual pilonidal cyst scarring was denied by the Board.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected ventral hernia, right inguinal hernia, and scar with recurrent ulceration. The evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of the current 20 percent rating.