Scars decisions — 2019

The Veteran's right knee disability, including degenerative arthritis and scars from a patellectomy, is rated at 30% for the entire appeal period. The Veteran also receives a 10% rating for his service-connected right knee scars. Additionally, the Veteran is granted TDIU benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since December 1, 2011. The Board has granted TDIU from that date.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including a scar on the chest, athlete's foot, arthritis of multiple joints, dental disorder, dry eye syndrome, left and right hand nerve disorders, sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, depression, enlarged prostate/benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH), frostbite, and PTSD. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or any other relevant factors.,The Veteran's claims for various disabilities were denied as there was insufficient evidence to support the assertions of in-service onset or a link between current disability and service.

Service connection is granted for neck and back disabilities, as well as residuals from excision of a ganglion cyst on the right index finger. Service connection is also granted for post-fracture neuralgia of the left little toe.,The Veteran's claims are all supported by medical opinions linking her current conditions to her military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for scalp scar, left knee strain with osteoarthritis, and tension headaches are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and authorization of medical records from Dr. Perofsky.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of increased disability ratings for his right shoulder disabilities and surgical scars, as well as his claim for TDIU. The case will be remanded to allow for further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for erectile dysfunction, residuals of prostate cancer, and scars, status post prostatectomy are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected abdominal scar is granted a 10% rating, effective from June 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right ankle arthrodesis, left knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia and total knee arthroplasty, posttraumatic stress disorder, left ankle arthroplasty, tinnitus, right hip degenerative joint disease, and left hip degenerative joint disease, are found to be of such nature and severity as to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he was in receipt of or entitled to receive compensation for a service-connected disability rated totally disabling at the time of his death. However, the Veteran did not have a total rating due to a service-connected disability prior to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment prior to March 27, 2014. After that date, no single disability is rated as 100 percent disabling or solely responsible for his inability to work.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a vision disability associated with corneal scar, cataracts, and dry eye, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for a scar above the left eyebrow. The decision also noted that the Veteran's residuals of a fractured middle finger metacarpal, left hand are remanded.

The Veteran's eye disability, including bilateral refractive error status post keratotomy and eye scars status post keratotomy, is rated as noncompensable. A separate noncompensable rating for eye scars status post keratotomy has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and a TDIU rating is granted.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of median sternotomy, depression, left leg fracture, vertigo, and hypertension have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, as his hearing loss and tinnitus would have no impact on his employability. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against a claim for TDIU.

Effective dates of November 8, 1986 have been granted for the grants of service connection for right-sided rib fractures, residuals of a right scapula fracture, and trunk scarring as residual of a right pneumothorax.,An initial disability rating of 20 percent has been assigned for osteomyelitis of the left ilium from February 1, 1992 to June 3, 1994, in excess of 20 percent from July 6, 1995, and in excess of 10 percent from February 1, 1997.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a compensable rating were denied. The intervertebral disc syndrome was rated at 20 percent, the painful scar at 10 percent, and the postoperative scar associated with IVDS remains noncompensably rated.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating in excess of 20 percent for left knee medial meniscectomy with posttraumatic arthritis and scar was dismissed due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal prior to the Board issuing a final decision.