Scars decisions — 2018

Service connection for tinnitus is granted with an effective date of April 23, 2013. Service connection for a right eye disability and left eye disability are denied. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea are denied. Secondary service connection for headaches and acquired psychiatric disability (including an adjustment disorder and depressive disorder) aggravated by tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, left orchiectomy, and painful scrotum scar were all granted service connection. The Veteran was awarded a 10% rating for his painful scrotum scar.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, low back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, GERD, and facial scar, bridge of nose due to lack of a current diagnosis for PTSD and the absence of evidence linking these conditions to service. The preexisting facial scar was not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment prior to October 27, 2015. The Board found that he is entitled to an extraschedular TDIU effective December 16, 2014.

The Board has granted an initial 10 percent rating for the Veteran's residual cardiac surgical scar, finding that it is painful and resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as they were aggravated by the treatment for the Veteran's hepatitis C. The skin condition, claimed as boils and/or abscesses with residual scarring, was also found to be proximately caused by the treatment for hepatitis C.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and compensation for his right foot disorder and scar are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for deformity, right little finger with residual scar was denied. However, the Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for symptoms analogous to amputation of the right little finger.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation and consideration of his conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 29, 2012 for service connection of right and left thumb digital nerve neuromas and right and left thumb scars due to lack of evidence of a claim filed before this date.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical examination and evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected left thigh scars, as well as to consider recent amendments to the rating criteria for scars.

The Veteran's residual facial scars are rated at a 10 percent disability rating, which is granted. The pseudofolliculitis barbae condition remains noncompensable.

The Board denied service connection for upper respiratory infection, right lung scarring, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and cardiomyopathy (secondary to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) as there is no evidence of current diagnoses or a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.,Service connection was not granted because the medical evidence did not show that any of the claimed conditions were present during active duty or related to service.

The Board has determined that a new examination is necessary due to the Veteran's allegation of an increase in severity since the last VA examination, and thus remands the case for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for sinusitis, scar, upper lip, head injury, headaches, and PTSD due to a lack of available VA treatment records and potential military logs.

The Veteran's painful and/or unstable scars are rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of the March 2015 rating decision.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected left forehead scar and painful left forehead scar, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's service-connected right humerus disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has found that it does not warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's service-connected left wrist scar is currently rated as noncompensable (0%), and the Board has found that it does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The initial compensable disability rating for status post-left foot hallux fracture is denied, but a 10% disability rating for a painful scar, status-post pilonidal cystectomy, is granted effective July 16, 2015.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a scar due to cranium cyst removal is granted. The claims for telangiectasia matting on the nasal bridge, right shoulder pain and impingement, cervical radiculopathy with numbness of left upper extremity, and cervical radiculopathy with numbness of right upper extremity are all denied.