Scars decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a mood disorder, right knee replacement, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and a right knee scar, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral eye disability and sinus disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her left shoulder disability and scar are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination of his right knee, including the residual surgical scar. The issue will be reconsidered after the examination.

The Veteran's left heel scar, tinnitus, back disorder, varicose veins, and bilateral leg disorder have been granted service connection. The left heel scar is rated at 10 percent. Tinnitus has been found to be related to active duty service. Service connection for the back disorder, varicose veins, and bilateral leg disorder has not been established.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination to determine the current level of impairment due to his service-connected herniorraphy scar and whether his symptoms are related to his underlying hernia repair residuals.

The Veteran's left hip strain and left elbow scar are found to be related to service, while the lumbar spine disability is granted but with no specific rating assigned.

The Veteran's residuals of right salpingectomy do not require continuous treatment and therefore, a compensable evaluation is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected right inguinal hernia repair and scar are rated at a 10 percent disability rating, which is the highest possible under Diagnostic Code 7805.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the current evaluations adequately reflected her disability levels.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected right breast disability more nearly approximated a wide local excision with significant alteration of size or form of one breast, warranting a 30 percent rating. The preponderance of evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Veteran's right ankle sprain is currently rated at 20 percent disabling, effective August 14, 2017. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and multiple knee/ankle conditions, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection was denied. His residuals of right distal fibula fracture were rated at 10 percent, his left knee disability was not found to be secondary to the service-connected condition, his low back disability was determined not to have been incurred in the line of duty, his scar to stomach and side was deemed not incurred in the line of duty, his facial scars were also deemed not incurred in the line of duty, his right arm disability was denied as not having been incurred in active service, and his head injury was denied. The Veteran's appeal for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for facial scarring was also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for pain at the right sternoclavicular joint as there is no evidence of a separate and distinct disability other than his already service-connected right clavicle scar and right shoulder degenerative joint disease.

The appeal is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development and readjudication. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine the current severity and nature of her fibroids and abdominal and/or pelvic scars related to hysterectomy and myomectomy.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for medical opinions regarding the Veteran's current joint disability, rheumatoid arthritis, musculoskeletal lupus, discoid lupus, lupus squamous, or scars.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, neck disability, and circumcision residual scar are etiologically related to his active service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board denied both the request for an effective date prior to July 17, 2009 and a compensable rating for nodule of the right lung with scarring.

The Veteran was found to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, including bilateral knee pain and arthritis. His combined service-connected rating was 90 percent, effective October 31, 2011.