Scars decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam. The VA will need to verify if the Veteran was present within the 12-nautical mile territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for a left inguinal hernia scar was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable or higher rating for the period prior to November 20, 2017, and a 20 percent rating from November 20, 2017, forward. Service connection for left testicle orchiectomy as secondary to hernia repair was also denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection due to in-service acoustic trauma.,Service connection for a head scar is denied. The Board finds insufficient evidence to support the claim.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity is remanded due to lack of sufficient evidence linking it to service exposure.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity is also remanded for similar reasons.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance as defined by VA regulations. The Board has determined that a new examination is needed to determine if his service-connected conditions require the assistance of another person.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they do not meet the schedular criteria and that there is no evidence of unemployability solely due to these conditions. The case was remanded multiple times but remains pending.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Veteran's residual scar of the right lower quadrant is granted a 20 percent rating since November 25, 2015. Service connection for renal cell carcinoma (status post removal of right kidney) and prostate cancer are granted with effective dates prior to January 23, 2014.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for residual scars of the left and right upper extremities, as well as for an effective date prior to April 30, 2002 for service connection for these scars. The issues were already adjudicated by the Board.

Service connection for left ear hearing loss and a disability manifested by a left side head knot is denied.,A compensable rating for the Veteran's left heel scar is denied, as there are no scars that meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's genitourinary disability, specifically chronic pelvic pain/bladder pain/prostate pain syndrome. The Veteran is not entitled to increased ratings for his service-connected inguinal hernias and scars.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of examination addressing whether the Veteran's hand condition impacts his employment in sales. The case is now pending for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back disability is denied. The effective date of the 20% rating for his low back disability is set to April 21, 2017.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding an initial compensable rating for a residual scar of the left nephrectomy, and the Board has dismissed this issue.

The Board denied service connection for kidney failure, hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus, and evaluations of major depression, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus type II. The Veteran's claims were remanded for further evaluation on other issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, CAD, DM, and others, do not render him unemployable due to their combined effect. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between his low back condition and service-connected right foot scars. The Board requires an addendum opinion from a qualified medical professional.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, chest scar from coronary artery bypass graft, diabetes mellitus, type II, end-stage renal failure, hypertension, and neuropathy have all been denied.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran’s chest scar as secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's service-connected scars on the thighs are rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating allowed for superficial and nonlinear scars not associated with underlying soft tissue damage. The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for unstable scars.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right wrist scar was denied as the evidence did not show that the scar limited function or exceeded 6 square inches in area, and thus no higher rating could be assigned.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and SMC at the housebound rate are granted. The initial rating of 100 percent for organic brain syndrome, initial compensable rating for headaches, and SMC based on housebound status are all granted as of June 26, 1969. The issues regarding loss of skull and head scar remain unresolved.