Scars decisions — 2012

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to consider his claims for increased ratings for dermatitis and scars, including obtaining relevant medical records and addressing the extent of his skin involvement.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for his left long finger scar and limitation of motion were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for either condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling error for her scheduled video conference hearing. She has requested a new hearing at the RO in North Carolina.

The Board has granted service connection for a left wrist scar, finding that the Veteran's current left wrist scar is related to his military service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a left hand disorder remains pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran is not in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including gunshot wounds, tinnitus, scar, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board denied the claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from the Veteran's treatment at the VA HCS in Sioux Falls and Cleveland. The Veteran is seeking service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic skin rash, and a lung condition with scarring and calcification.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right elbow disability is denied as the evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of 10 percent prior to July 2, 2010, and 50 percent thereafter. The claim for a higher rating for his ulnar nerve disability is also denied. The effective date for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2, remains August 28, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and his period of active military service.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim that his current left eye disability, including left eye paramacular scarring of the pigment and left eye cataract, is related to his military service. The VA examination report concluded that the Veteran's current left eye disability is not due to his claimed in-service injury.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent effective June 30, 2010. The initial ratings for polyneuropathy of the upper extremities and impairment of sphincter control are granted but not yet assigned effective dates. Erectile dysfunction remains noncompensable.

The Board has remanded the service connection issues for further development and review. The Veteran is presumed to have a psychiatric disability (PTSD) as well as muscle aches and soreness due to service-connected disabilities, but no respiratory or sexual dysfunction was found. Hip, heel, and upper respiratory disabilities are not currently demonstrated.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for scar residuals of a shrapnel wound of the right leg and his initial noncompensable rating for residuals of an injury to the left index finger have been denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 10 percent for epicondylitis of the left elbow.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an examination and obtaining outpatient treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for ankylosing spondylitis of the cervical spine, finding that it is related to active military service. The Veteran's hidradenitis with scarring remains under consideration.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including medical examinations to assess the presence of scars on his face and head, as well as any residuals from brain surgery. The issues before the Board are whether he is entitled to service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for accrued benefits related to reimbursement of expenses for his last illness was denied as the payment did not qualify under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his claim for a higher rating of SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person was not granted. The current service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for an increased SMC rate.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including systemic lupus erythematous with rash and major depressive disorder, are found to be of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment. The Board grants the TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected left index finger, status post open reduction, internal fixation (non-dominant) is rated at 30 percent. The RO reduced the rating for his scar from 10% to 0%, effective July 8, 2011. No compensable ratings were granted for the right wrist condition or automobile allowance/specially adapted equipment.

The January 1953 rating decision denied the Veteran's claims for service connection, assigning a 30 percent rating for gunshot wound of the right thigh with neuropathy, sensory only; a 10 percent rating for scar, gunshot wound of the left buttock; and no rating for scar of the left knee. The RO found that there was clear and unmistakable error in not assigning separate evaluations for muscle injuries.