Scars decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's head injury residuals are due to his own willful misconduct and therefore not service-connected.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as she is still able to perform substantially gainful employment.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the appellant's service-connected right lower leg scar disability, finding that it did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work experience during a period prior to April 25, 2006.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as his employment issues are due to non-service connected conditions and psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's right thumb disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling since November 18, 2008. Prior to that date, the disability was not compensable.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for the service-connected left middle finger scar and did not grant service connection for residuals of hepatitis B.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's service records do not show any scars of the right buttock, inner left arm, left knee, or left ankle. The Board finds no current disability to support a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher schedular evaluations under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board found no evidence of a right or left knee disorder in service and denied the claims. The residuals of a fractured sternum were also denied as there was no aggravation during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and retaining employment consistent with his abilities, aptitudes, and interests; he does not have an employment handicap.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a scar of the left thigh and tinnitus, finding that there was no current disability to support these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of chronic sinusitis, and the Veteran's left forearm shrapnel wound residuals did not meet criteria for a higher rating prior to June 27, 2008 or from that date forward. The right buttock cyst removal scar and left foot wart removal scars were not shown to be disabling enough to warrant compensable ratings. The lumbosacral spine disability was found to not warrant an increased rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his period of active military service, including exposure to Agent Orange. Service connection for all issues is denied.

The Board found that the appellant's service-connected disabilities do not result in his inability to care for any of his daily personal needs without regular personal assistance from others, nor do they result in an inability to protect himself from the hazards and dangers of his daily environment. Therefore, he is not entitled to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's post-operative left inguinal-abdominal scar with residual incisional hernia has been rated at 30 percent since February 28, 2005.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a surgical scar associated with internal derangement of the right knee, traumatic arthritis was denied by the Board.

The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his left bronchogenic cyst, status-post thoracotomy, with scar. The evidence showed no limitation of function or restrictive lung disease.

The Veteran's service-connected residual scars, status-post appendectomy with adhesions are currently manifested by two scars. The Veteran is granted a disability rating of 10 percent for these scars.