Scars decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance was denied as he is not substantially confined to his house due to service-connected disability.

The Veteran's linear scars of the left lower extremity have been granted a 30% rating since August 13, 2021. The previous ratings for painful surgical scars and non-linear scarring were reduced or removed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The effective dates for the granted benefits are not earlier than October 19, 2018.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus, head injury, scar above the left eye, and anal fissure. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are based on presumptive service connection due to noise exposure in service.

The Board has granted service connection for a head scar, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not incurred during his active duty service. The decision resolves all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 20 percent, effective May 21, 2021. The Veteran's ankle disabilities have been increased to 30 percent each.,The Veteran's surgical scar of the left ankle is rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a stab wound residual and deep vein thrombosis with pseudoaneurysm in the right lower extremity, are deemed to impact his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The case is being remanded for further consideration by the Director of Compensation Service regarding entitlement to TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate assessments in previous examinations and the need for additional VA medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the causes and aggravations of the Veteran's kidney stones, residuals of kidney stone surgery (including scarring), and temporary total evaluation for convalescence from kidney stone surgery. The claims are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her appendectomy scar was denied because the evidence did not show an increase in severity of the condition within one year prior to July 21, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities from July 19, 2011 to November 21, 2018 and after that date. The evidence did not substantiate a reasonable possibility of unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection has been granted for bilateral eustachian tube dysfunction, prostate cancer, sleep apnea, right hand keloid scar, gum disease, and athlete's foot.

The Veteran's scars, superficial and non-linear, associated with IVDS and herniated nucleus pulposus, L5-S1 have been granted a 10 percent rating from June 2, 2015 to May 30, 2018.,Service connection for female sexual dysfunction has been granted.,The Veteran's service-connected scars, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and IVDS and herniated nucleus pulposus, L5-S1 are all remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left knee disorder are granted service connection, while the claims for scar on left forearm and bilateral hearing loss are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected painful residual surgical scar was restored to a 10 percent rating effective December 18, 2018 after the previous reduction from 10 percent to 0 percent was found improper.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for his right knee residual scar is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA needs to obtain updated treatment records and schedule the Veteran for an appropriate examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right knee disability, including his right knee residual scar.

The Board has granted readjudication for the claims related to residuals of pneumonia, scars on the legs, tinnitus, and anxiety and depression based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran. Service connection is now established for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hand scars are rated at a 10 percent rating, effective August 30, 2011. The Veteran's left hand injury is rated at a 10 percent rating since May 23, 2016.,Both conditions meet the criteria for the assigned ratings.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma, large abdominal scar, abdominal numbness, bone cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and lymphatic cancer are all found to be related to his service-connected renal cell carcinoma.