Scars decisions — 2013

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, nor does he have a disability rated at 100% disabling in conjunction with a separate disability rated at 60% or higher. Therefore, his claims for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance and TDIU are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his PTSD symptoms and their impact on employment.

The Board has determined that the overpayment of VA compensation benefits was based solely on administrative error and not due to any fault or misrepresentation by the Veteran. As a result, the debt is invalid.

The Veteran's right wrist strain is rated as 10 percent disabling, effective January 3, 2003.,The Veteran's left lower eyelid scar and left index finger residuals are not service-connected.

The Board has granted a 10 percent initial rating for scarring alopecia from August 30, 2002. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim was reopened due to the receipt of new and material evidence.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for various GSW residuals and assigned an initial disability rating of 50 percent for the MG II, III, IV GSW residuals.

The Veteran's service-connected psoriasis of the head and legs with acne scarring of the face does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his low back disability and associated sciatic nerve radiculopathy were denied. The Veteran was not granted any additional ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a personal hearing before a Decision Review Officer at the local VA office. The claims include reopening of a glaucoma claim, service connection for left eye trauma, and rating adjustments.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the service-connected forehead scar, effective from February 8, 2004. The Veteran's forehead scar is painful and measures 4 x 0.2 cm in size.

The Board has restored service connection for actinic keratosis with lichenoid inflammation and resulting scars, effective February 1, 2013. The initial ratings for squamous and basal cell carcinomas of the left side of the nose and left temple remain unchanged.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted on an extraschedular basis due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and cervical/lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for head injury residuals, including scar residuals, headaches, and TBI residuals is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable. The case will be returned to the Board for further consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's service connection claims for burn scars on both legs and bilateral pes planus, finding that there was no evidence showing they were aggravated beyond their normal progression during service. The RO also declined to reopen his TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that the effective dates for the grants of service connection and special monthly compensation are November 13, 2006, based on the date of receipt of the initial claims.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's scar, status post-appendectomy prior to January 9, 2012. The appeal is not about service connection and thus no issues are present.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance of another or being housebound was denied due to his service-connected disabilities not resulting in the required level of impairment. The issue of entitlement to automobile and adaptive equipment or for adaptive equipment only is pending.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected hidradenitis suppurativa with scarring, right knee chondromalacia, right knee laxity, and any right hip disability. The etiology of any right hip disability is also being evaluated.