Scars decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for scars of the toes and soft-tissue sarcoma due to new evidence added since the last decision.

The Veteran's right thumb disability is being remanded for a more contemporaneous VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, including any increased pain traveling up his right arm.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a cervical spine condition, as it is unclear whether the Veteran's neck condition was caused or aggravated by her service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions, including Lyme disease, respiratory disability, endocarditis, gall bladder condition, chronic diarrhea, urinary stricture, and joint pain. Service connection was granted for a neurological disability due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, scar on chin, and bilateral foot condition as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to the need for a new VA examination as the most recent evaluations are over four years old and do not provide sufficient information to rate the disabilities on appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for additional development due to lack of recent VA or private treatment records and need for a new examination by an orthopedist and dermatologist.

The Veteran's service-connected scar on his right ankle is granted a 10 percent rating, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has granted service connection for scar, bridge of nose and an earlier effective date of October 5, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or maintain a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the passage of time and worsening symptoms, requiring a new VA examination for the service-connected foot disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratosis, scars, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the claim for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for adjustment disorder with depressed mood has been denied. The Board also found that the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities, but remanded the issue due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for left total knee replacement with residual scar from July 1, 2012 is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and further development.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the mandates of a previous remand order and thus, the case is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, allergy condition, asthma, lumbar strain and partial discectomy, bilateral hip condition, bilateral knee condition, sleep apnea/sleep disorder, and acquired psychiatric disability is denied. The claims are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability is not established as there was no diagnosis of hearing loss sufficient for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine and LLE radiculopathy have been dismissed. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the appeals are still pending as they remain on remand due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence submitted by him. The AOJ should review this additional evidence and readjudicate the claims.