Scars decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for burn scars of the right lower extremity and an initial disability evaluation in excess of 20 percent for venous insufficiency of the legs with chronic venous insufficiency (deep vein thrombosis and venous stasis).

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected scar over right malar bone area, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the service-connected residual laceration scar of the left side of the nose, effective August 30, 2002.

The veteran's service-connected facial scars and body dysmorphic disorder with major depression are shown to be productive of a disability picture that more nearly approximates that of the veteran being rendered unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus meeting the criteria for TDIU benefits.

The veteran's claims for service connection for chest burns with scars, bilateral eye burns with vision disorder, and bilateral hearing loss were denied. The Board found no current residuals of the claimed conditions due to lack of medical evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's arthritis of multiple joints is not service-connected and denied his claim. The initial compensable disability rating for residual scars from shrapnel wounds to the right lower extremity was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an increased evaluation for his left thoracic sympathectomy scar, finding that there was no evidence of a relationship between these conditions and service. The Board also found that the current evaluations were appropriate given the lack of functional impairment attributable to the scars.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected conditions have been denied. The RO found that the current evaluations were appropriate and did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no new and material evidence had been presented since the previous denial in December 1991.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for service-connected tinnitus and postoperative cyst of the anal region with scarring due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, as his combined rating is at least 70% but does not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The veteran's claims for initial compensable evaluations for his right middle finger and left forearm scars, as well as his claim for service connection for a left knee disability, were denied by the RO. The Board found no evidence to support higher ratings under any applicable rating criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for scars of the right thigh, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the current status of his service-connected scars.

The veteran's scar of the left eyebrow is granted as it was directly incurred during service. The veteran's residuals of a head injury and low back disability are denied as they were not incurred in service.

The Board has determined that there is no legal entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for scars of the left hand, as the veteran did not file a formal or informal claim prior to March 21, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for shrapnel fragment wound (SFW) residuals, left hip; a rating in excess of 10 percent for SFW residuals, left groin; and compensable ratings for SFW scar residuals, right thigh, right mid foot, and left deltoid region.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to their severity, as his educational and occupational background allow for substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability and entitlement to an increased rating for his gunshot wound scar of the lower right leg. The evidence does not support a current right ankle disability or any impairment due to the veteran's service-connected gunshot wound scar.

The veteran withdrew his claims for higher ratings, and the appeal is dismissed without prejudice.