Scars decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including unspecified major depressive disorder and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches, major depressive disorder, Crohn's disease, thoracolumbar strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and residuals of a scar post biopsy excision, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's prostate cancer in remission, erectile dysfunction, and pelvic surgical scar are all being reviewed for potential increased ratings. The VA will obtain updated treatment records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his current conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and sleep apnea, render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that he is entitled to a TDIU.

The Veteran's appendectomy scar is superficial and painful, warranting a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's right eye disability is not service-connected and denied his claim for increased rating of left eye trauma with macular scar.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected anterior communicating aneurysm and COPD. The examiner will need to determine if there are any neurologic symptoms associated with the aneurysm and whether COPD is causally related to service due to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations were denied as her conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA regulations.

The Veteran's temporary total disability rating due to private hospitalization and rehabilitation from February 2, 2009, to June 15, 2009 is denied as the treatment did not necessitate surgery or periods of convalescence.

The Board has remanded the case due to scheduling issues and will handle any additional development as required.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination report, and further action is required to comply with the terms of the Joint Motion.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for cluster headaches, hemorrhoids, and bilateral hernia with scar status post hernia repair have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims during a hearing. The Board has granted a TDIU based on service-connected cluster headaches.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a respiratory disability, claimed as pulmonary fibrosis and lung scarring. The Board has determined that the April 2015 VA opinion is inadequate for adjudication purposes due to its failure to address the Veteran's contention of exposure to cleaning chemicals during his first period of service and service treatment records from March 1991 showing complaints of chest pain and cough, and a diagnosis of bronchitis. The case is REMANDED for an addendum opinion.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of entitlement to a 10 percent evaluation based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities as moot due to the grant of compensable evaluations for the Veteran's knee disabilities and scars.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities have been granted, with effective dates set at February 17, 2009.,Effective from February 17, 2009, the Veteran is now entitled to VA benefits for her claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection and a compensable rating for a residual scar of a gunshot wound of the left elbow is June 10, 1987.