Scars decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to withdrawal of the issue of an initial compensable disability rating for a scar of the right eyebrow. The claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were remanded, as new evidence had been submitted that could potentially substantiate these claims.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and consideration of new evidence, including compensation and pension examination findings, Social Security Administration records, and VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's left hand contractures are related to his service, including an in-service explosion and burns.

The Board has remanded the claim for a new VA examination and medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's right hand disability is related to his service, including an in-service injury in December 1968.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not received. The Board found no current diagnosis of or treatment for the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his scar, right foot, residuals of bunionectomy is being remanded due to the need to consider new evidence and review previous examinations.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for a compensable rating for service-connected residual scars of the arms and back, as well as service connection for breathing difficulty due to the death of the appellant.

Service connection is granted for residual scarring of chin laceration and left-arm residual scarring due to a dog bite.,Service connection is denied for left-ear hearing loss.

The Board has granted a 30 percent schedular rating for an inguinal hernia from December 13, 2017. The Veteran's scar from the inguinal hernia repair surgery is rated at 10 percent effective June 21, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for his residual surgical scar right neck and muscle condition to include right sternocleidomastoid, digastric, and mylohyoid muscles status post surgery is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings for his scars were remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is attributable to service and the claim for service connection has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, and his combined disability rating is sufficient to grant a TDIU prior to August 3, 2017.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective date and increased rating, as he withdrew his appeal. The case is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for residual scars and a higher rating for PTSD are being remanded due to the need for further development. The prostate cancer claim is not addressed as it was previously denied.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including service connection for various conditions and exposure to noise during active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected due to noise exposure in service.,There is no evidence of toenail fungus during or after service, and the claim for this condition is denied.,Diabetes mellitus was not noted in service and did not manifest within one year of separation. The claim for diabetes mellitus is denied.,Erectile dysfunction was not diagnosed in service or post-service. The claim for erectile dysfunction is denied.,Hypertension was not diagnosed in service or post-service. The claim for hypertension is denied.,The Veteran's scar residual from right breast surgery is granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete evaluations for tinnitus and psychiatric conditions. The compensable evaluation for the scar remains denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate examination(s) to assess the current severity of his service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease and associated left abdominal neuralgia. The examiner must comment on the impact of the service-connected disabilities individually and in combination, on the Veteran's ability to function in work-related tasks.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The Veteran's residual scarring from hernia surgery was not found to meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, as there was no evidence of three or more unstable or painful scars.,The Veteran's postoperative hydrocele with transient hematoma did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, as there was no evidence of complete removal of both testicles.