Scars decisions — 2011

The Board denied service connection for a left knee scar and joint disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to military service.,Service connection was also denied for cold injury residuals of the hands and feet due to lack of evidence showing such conditions were incurred during active duty.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for residual scarring of the bridge of the nose but denied service connection for fibromyalgia. The Veteran appealed the denial of the claim for fibromyalgia, and this issue will be remanded to the RO.

The Veteran's appeal does not involve service connection for a right bicep disability. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of a current right bicep disability.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance of another person during his period of incarceration from May 1991 to April 1997 is denied as he does not meet the criteria for this benefit.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, left scapula shrapnel injury, superficial scars, and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a neurological examination to determine if he has additional diagnoses related to his service-connected residuals of cellulitis.

The Veteran's sternal dehiscence with scarring is not service-connected under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, ankle, foot, lumbar spine, and bilateral toes disorders are pending. The Veteran has been granted service connection for a scar of the right leg. His claims for service connection for tendinitis and/or gout of the left wrist and right wrist have been denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for post surgical scar of right submandibular gland excision and residuals of the same were denied as his conditions are not compensably disabling.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's right hip replacement residuals have been rated at the highest schedular rating of 100 percent since July 2006, and he is entitled to a total rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and assigning initial ratings for non-gastrointestinal residuals of his service-connected histiocytic lymphoma. The file will be provided to an appropriate VA clinician to address the symptoms characteristic of a circulatory disturbance caused by postgastrectomy syndrome.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection, finding that a left upper arm scar is the result of treatment for an infection during active service. The Board resolved reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of his claimed right hand and arm neurological disorder and low back disorder.

The Veteran's scar, status post nevus excision removal is manifested by symptoms of pain and has been granted a compensable initial rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of the record, including VA examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected low back strain and right hand scar.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to obtain specially adapted housing or financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee scar, arthritis of the pelvic bones, and shin splints were denied. The Board found that there was no current evidence of these conditions.

The Veteran's hemorrhoids were rated at 10 percent prior to December 23, 2008 and at 20 percent thereafter. The Veteran's shell fragment wounds right forearm with scars resulted in a 10 percent rating.,The Veteran's tinnitus was rated at 10 percent since October 23, 2007.

The Veteran was granted a 100% rating for his disabilities effective August 8, 2007. The Board found that the criteria for TDIU were met beginning December 2, 2005.