Scars decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened. The Board finds that the evidence is sufficient to establish that his left and right ear hearing loss are related to service, with aggravation beyond normal progression of the disease by noise exposure in service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals as the Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for a pulmonary condition, an increased disability rating higher than 40 percent for residuals of a left leg shell fragment wound, and an initial disability rating higher than 20 percent for left lower extremity scar residual of shrapnel wound and skin graft. The Board also found that the Veteran's lumbar spine strain is secondary to his service-connected residuals of a left leg shell fragment wound.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly assess the Veteran's right shoulder scars, DJD and impingement of the right shoulder, and bilateral plantar fasciitis with left heel spurs. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to address the severity of his residuals from pilonidal cystectomy and perirectal sinus. The claims for service connection are also pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right femur fracture residuals and associated surgical scar do not warrant a higher disability rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The initial compensable ratings for pseudofolliculitis barbae and left shoulder scar, as well as the increased rating for recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder with traumatic arthritis, were not granted. The claim for an increased rating for depressive disorder was also denied.

The Veteran's right elbow disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are each rated as non-compensable. However, the Veteran's lip scar is rated at a compensable level of 10 percent.,The Veteran meets the criteria for a 10 percent evaluation for his lip scar.

The Board found that the Veteran's left foot plantar fibroma excision scar warranted a 10 percent rating, as it was painful but not unstable. The current rating of 10 percent is considered adequate to rate the disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess his employability given his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD. The case will be returned to the Board after further review.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need for a full examination and clarification of his service-connected conditions.

The appellant's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a left foot disorder other than a scar, as the submitted evidence does not address the unestablished fact at the time of the May 2006 decision in a way that raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his claim for a higher initial rating for the residual scar, umbilical hernia repair, rated as 10 percent, and service connection for a skin disability due to radiation exposure are not supported by the evidence. The Board finds that the available schedular ratings adequately account for the manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's hyperpigmentation, which included scars and burn-like lesions on the face, was rated at 50 percent effective February 14, 2013. This rating is based on the severity of his condition as determined by VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residual scarring from acne is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a history of acne during her military service, which resulted in scarring on her face.

The Veteran's healed scar, right iliac area residual of bone donor grafting, has been painful for the entire period on appeal and warrants a 10 percent disability rating. The Veteran's service-connected right knee DJD with knee strain is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a scar from stitches on his scalp attributable to active service and denied the claim. The rating for migraine headaches was granted but at a lower level than initially requested.

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's bilateral eye disability, other than cataracts, best characterized as macular degeneration with scars, is related to his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation. As such, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.