Scars decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee condition is denied. The initial rating for GERD from October 25, 2016 to October 9, 2019 was granted at 10 percent and increased to 30 percent starting October 10, 2019. The Veteran's psychiatric disorder with unspecified anxiety disorder and cannabis abuse is not rated in excess of 70 percent. The rating for asthma remains unchanged. The left knee scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for increased ratings for a service-connected left eye disability and a service-connected scar before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's claim for a scar on the head is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a scar and recent VA examination did not find any visible scar.,The Veteran's claim for varicose veins of the left leg is denied as there is no evidence that they began during service or are related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction including as secondary to service-connected disabilities is remanded due to lack of a medical opinion on whether it was aggravated by service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis is remanded due to the need for an examination and opinion regarding its relationship to in-service complaints of right heel pain.,The Veteran's claim for right ear hearing loss is remanded due to lack of a medical opinion on whether it was related to service-connected tinnitus.,The Veteran's claim for gastritis is remanded due to the need for an examination and opinion regarding its relationship to in-service complaints of gastroenteritis.,The Veteran's claim for hypertension is remanded due to the need for an examination and opinion regarding its relationship to in-service blood pressure readings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his service-connected cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbar spine disability, and scars. The issues of increased ratings are also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by liver cirrhosis, which is linked to his service-connected tinnitus and depression. The Board found that the service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of her service-connected disabilities. The claims for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grants are also remanded.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's scar, left pectoralis area, finding that it did not meet the criteria for an increased rating under Diagnostic Code 7804 due to lack of three or more unstable or painful scars.

The Veteran's claims for service connection related to jet fuel exposure, ulcer, bladder cancer, cervical disease, dysmenorrhea (also claimed as menstrual stress), strep throat, mononucleosis, septicemia, and miscarriages have all been denied due to the absence of a current disability. The Veteran was granted an initial 100 percent rating for her unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder with depression.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable initial disability rating for her service-connected scar, right wrist and denied her claim of service connection for her right hip disability. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under applicable rating schedules, except for one claim which was remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, and remanded for further development on other issues. The VA examinations are needed to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities, including Raynaud's syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran requires regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features, left knee arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, lumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain, hiatal hernia, left elbow dislocation, hypertension, hemorrhoids, post laceration of the right thigh with residual scar, and right shoulder surgical scar associated with right shoulder arthritis. As a result, special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70% evaluation, effective October 11, 2019. The other conditions were denied increased ratings.

The reduction from a 50% to a 30% rating for PTSD was not proper, and the original 50% rating is restored.,PTSD remains rated at 50%, while the cesarean scar rating is unchanged.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation, thus his claim for TDIU was denied.

The Veteran withdrew all of his claims, including those related to service connection for various disabilities and initial ratings.

The Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for scar tissue of the breast, anxiety, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and nerve pain are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's left eye aphakia and corneal scar, post-traumatic and post-operative, has not been productive of muscle dysfunction or impairment of visual acuity. The disability is currently rated at 30 percent under DC 6029 for aphakia, which is the maximum rating available for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation for his scars, and his residuals of a right little finger fracture do not warrant an increase in evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal of his service connection claims for erectile dysfunction and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a residual scar on the right buttock has been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal.