Scars decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records. The case will be readjudicated after the development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented her from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with her educational and vocational experience, and the Board finds that she is unemployable due to her service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the evidence does not support a finding of a current disability related to his active service. The Veteran has received an initial compensable rating for tinnitus and a noncompensable rating for right eardrum perforation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of her claim, including obtaining private and VA treatment records.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death, and grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on all issues, indicating that the September 2016 rating decision granting him a 100% disability evaluation satisfied his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right inguinal hernias have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran sustained a traumatic brain injury and lacerations of his head and face during service, which are considered in line of duty. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable initial disability rating for his service-connected left shoulder scar was denied. The Board found that the scar did not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, and therefore, his claims for post traumatic headaches, skin disability (including as due to exposure to herbicides), and scar residuals of shell fragment wounds to the left lower extremity are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right hand disabilities, chronic right hand strain and right hand scar. The AOJ must also obtain any outstanding records pertinent to the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's post traumatic laceration scar of the frontal scalp is related to his military service and has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied due to failure to report for VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, arthritis of the left foot, and tarsal tunnel syndrome of the right ankle. Service connection was granted for hemorrhoids, but with a non-compensable evaluation. The Veteran's right foot arthritis and surgical scars were also not granted increased evaluations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of surgery to correct prognathism of the mandible, including loss of teeth, scars, and numbness. The condition is considered a result of aggravation of a pre-existing disability during active service.

The Veteran's increased ratings for her service-connected bilateral knee disabilities were granted, but the appeal remains in appellate status as maximum schedular ratings have not been assigned.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, and initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, residuals of a gunshot wound of the left buttocks, and surgical scar of the left buttocks were all denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was not reopened due to lack of material evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim has been granted, and the remaining issues have been dismissed due to withdrawal of claims by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to assess his current level of impairment due to service-connected disabilities.