Scars decisions — 2015

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of seizure disorder and a compensable evaluation for his left forehead scar, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the seizure disorder claim and that the left forehead scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's service-connected right middle finger scar and residuals of a right little finger fracture are not rated higher than the current 10 percent levels. The Board finds no basis for granting an increased rating or reopening any claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The compensable rating claim for the surgical scar of his right knee was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA social and industrial survey to assess employment capacity and a VA examination by a physiatrist to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's scars have been rated as 20 percent disabling since March 18, 2009. The effective date for this rating is not specified in the decision.

The Veteran's right shoulder and knee disabilities have been rated based on their current functional limitations, with the right knee receiving a 10% rating for recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 10 percent disability rating for abdominal scar and granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's healed sprain of the left ankle is rated at a 10% effective July 8, 2009.,Service connection for a surgical scar on the left ankle was granted effective March 11, 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left foot disorder, right ankle disorder, and right wrist disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, but further development is needed to determine his employment status and the impact of these conditions on his ability to work.

The Veteran's service-connected burn scars do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the reopening of service connection claims for various conditions, and the Board has dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral metatarsalgia, right ankle degenerative joint disease, and left ankle degenerative joint disease are currently rated based on their current manifestations. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on his left shoulder scar and shell fragment wound of the left shoulder have been withdrawn, resulting in their dismissal.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound is remanded due to a lack of recent VA examination, worsening condition, and need to distinguish between service-connected and non-service-connected limitations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for lower back scars and a 10 percent rating was granted for DJD of the right great toe, effective June 25, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right and left knee disabilities, coronary artery disease, a scar associated with a coronary artery bypass graft, hemorrhoids, right urethral calculus, left inguinal herniorraphy, left wrist ganglion, and hypertension have met the percentage requirements for the award of a schedular TDIU. The combined rating is 90 percent since October 27, 2005.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left thigh scar was granted, but the effective date remains June 29, 2007. Service connection for left knee patellofemoral syndrome and deviated septum has been established.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's current right ulnar neuropathy is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder, left upper arm, and left ulnar neuropathy disabilities.