Scars decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ring finger disability was denied, and his claim for an initial compensable rating for scars on the nose and right thigh was also denied. The Board found no current left ring finger disability and concluded that there were no functional limitations caused by the scars.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and ensuring all claims are properly addressed.

The Board has granted an initial disability rating of 10 percent for the Veteran's right upper eyelid scar, effective October 20, 2008. The Veteran was previously awarded service connection and a noncompensable rating for his bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and providing a new medical opinion regarding his claim for TDIU.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the Veteran died before a decision could be made, and thus had no jurisdiction to proceed.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 50 percent, effective January 9, 2007. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his disability has not resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his anxiety with depression and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, have resulted in a combined disability rating of 100 percent. The Veteran is eligible for financial assistance to acquire an automobile or adaptive equipment due to the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral chronic otitis media with perforated and scarred drums is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA examination to assess the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran claims service connection for PTB and acne vulgaris, alleging that both conditions were incurred or aggravated during his military service. The claim for PTB is reopened due to new evidence supporting the claim within three years of discharge.,The claim for acne vulgaris remains denied as no new evidence has been provided to substantiate the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his heart disability.

The Board found that the September 2007 rating decision denying service connection for asbestosis was based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) due to insufficient rationale provided by a VA examiner, leading to the reversal of the previous denial.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the severity of his service-connected left thumb disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee, right hip, low back, and right hand disabilities. The claim for sinusitis was withdrawn by the Veteran during his hearing. Service connection is also granted for left shoulder impingement with AC joint arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and requests for further development, including scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that his TDIU claim should be granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of scarlet fever and heart disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his in-service scarlet fever or service.

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial disability ratings for his appendectomy scar have been withdrawn by his attorney.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for a scar of the right lower leg, but not for a left hip disability.

The Veteran's right eye disability, characterized by corneal scar and anterior leukoma with acentric pupil, results in no light perception (blindness) in the right eye. The left eye vision is presumed to be at least 20/40 but has not been shown to meet criteria for impairment of visual acuity or field loss.