Scars decisions — 2004

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, head burn scars, and a compensable rating for residuals of a burn injury to the right arm. The evidence did not support these claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to verify his period of service and determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to additional development and consideration of new evidence.

The veteran's shell fragment wound scars have been rated based on their characteristics and functional impact, with the neck scar receiving a higher rating due to its disfiguring nature.

The Board found that the veteran's death in May 1971 was not caused by a service-connected condition, and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right eye scar, left shoulder arthritis, and left arm disability are all related to his military service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a certificate of eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or necessary special home adaptations due to lack of evidence showing loss of use of one or both lower extremities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected amputation scar of the right fifth toe does not warrant a higher evaluation, as it is tender to palpation and covers an area less than 12 square inches. The current rating of 10 percent remains in effect.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and granted noncompensable ratings for burn scars on the right arm, right elbow bursitis, and syringomyelia. The veteran was not granted increased ratings for any of these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for keloid scars of the left foot and a higher initial rating for degenerative joint disease of the right knee.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left femur scar is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and notification under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The veteran's disability from residual scar from excision of pilonidal cyst is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating is not warranted based on the current evidence.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and compensable disability ratings are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and conduct a VA examination.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected scars of the left tibia was granted, with a current rating of 10 percent. The decision is based on the merits and not due to any presumption or new evidence.

The Board has granted increased ratings for several service-connected disabilities, bringing the combined rating to 60 percent. The veteran's disabilities now preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected duodenal bulb deformity with scarring from previous duodenal ulcer disease and malnutrition, currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board found that the August 1950 rating decision, continuing a 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's right ankle disability, was not clear and unmistakable error. The correct facts as they were known at the time were before the adjudicator, and the statutory or regulatory provisions extant at the time were correctly applied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a gunshot wound to the upper one-third left tibia, Muscle Group XI, with debridement and residual surgical scar is being remanded due to incomplete examination reports and need for additional information.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to procedural errors and new examinations are required.