Scars decisions — 2019

The Veteran's follicular degeneration syndrome, previously rated as alopecia areata and now recharacterized as alopecia with scarring affecting more than 40 percent of the scalp, is granted a 20% rating.

The Board denied a TDIU due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, finding that his symptoms do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has dismissed the claim of entitlement to a TDIU due to withdrawal by the Veteran's accredited representative. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a skin disability with scarring to include acne vulgaris, comedones, skin lesions and dermatitis is remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU as her service-connected disabilities do not render her unemployable, considering her other severe nonservice-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disability and scars related to second degree burns are remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining service treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for hemorrhoids was denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s hemorrhoids were productive of mild to moderate internal or external hemorrhoids, without large or thrombotic hemorrhoids, and thus did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection and effective dates for various disabilities, including neck disability, change in color in the hands, headaches, weakness in the arm and numbness in the fingers, penetrating muscle injury, left chest, painful surgical scar, left chest, surgical scar, left chest, peripheral neuropathy, chest wall, rib fractures, status-post thoracotomy, hypertension. The issues include seeking initial ratings for certain disabilities and obtaining effective dates for service connection.

The Veteran's hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome (left upper extremity), left elbow post-surgical scars, PTSD, right elbow disability, and right knee chondromalacia have all been denied.,No effective date has been established for any of the service-connected conditions.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected right eyelid scars, finding that the current 30 percent evaluation adequately reflects his disability level and symptomatology. The Board also noted that referral for extraschedular consideration was not warranted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals/scars associated with a hernia surgery is granted. The claims for PTSD and anxiety disorder, as well as deviated nasal septum, are remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and rating determinations. The Veteran's right hand ganglion cyst claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a right hand ganglion cyst or disabling residuals thereof other than the service-connected scar from the ganglion cyst in service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied initial compensable ratings for service-connected keloid scars of the left upper extremity, right upper extremity, and posterior trunk as there was no evidence that these scars were deep, nonlinear, or associated with underlying soft tissue damage.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, scar from heart surgery, and other conditions have been granted service connection. A 10% rating has been assigned for bilateral hearing loss as of September 11, 2018.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability and painful scar were granted effective June 13, 2013. However, the increased rating for his left knee was denied prior to this date.

The Veteran's status post basal cell carcinoma scars of the trunk are rated at 20 percent from December 16, 2014 to January 13, 2016.

The Board has dismissed the issue of entitlement to an evaluation higher than 70 percent for PTSD. The claims for service connection for residuals of surgery for ovarian cyst and a skin condition with facial scars related to acne are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA audiological examination to evaluate the severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, scars of the head, face, and/or neck, hypertension, and total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to additional evidence added to the record.