Scars decisions — 2022

The Veteran's left anterior chest scar is currently rated at 0 percent, but the Board has granted a 10 percent rating due to pain.

The Veteran's claim for a scar of the posterolateral scalp was granted with an effective date of July 28, 2011.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was granted. The Veteran reported experiencing these conditions during service and continuing to experience them since then.,Service connection for hepatitis C/liver disorder was denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability and scar were evaluated at a 20% rating, which is the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 5201 for limited motion of the arm. The appeal was denied as there was no evidence to support a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right hip arthritis with hip joint replacement and left hip trochanteric, bursitis, degenerative arthritis, and prosthetic left hip joint, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU based on his combined disability rating of 100 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU for the period from October 1, 2013 to October 16, 2017. The case is remanded for further evaluation of his A&A claim.

The Veteran's healed pleurodesis scars are restored to a 30 percent rating. His anxiety disorder is granted at a 70 percent rating from October 9, 2018. The Veteran also receives a separate 10 percent rating for pleuritic chest pain associated with his recurrent pneumothorax.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for plantar fasciitis and basal cell carcinoma are remanded due to incomplete medical records. The left knee condition claim is also remanded for a new examination.,The Veteran's claim for increased rating of his left knee condition is remanded for further clarification on flare-ups and range of motion during such periods.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for TBI, spindle cell tumor, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are all remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for additional opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for basal cell carcinoma is remanded for a new opinion from a VA examiner or oncologist to determine if there is a relationship between his condition and military service, including exposure to PACT Act/Agent Orange/Camp Lejeune.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of spindle cell tumor of left nasal cavity is remanded due to incomplete medical records. The need for additional opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions remains.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to January 20, 2020.

The Veteran's appeal for various disability ratings and effective dates has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and bilateral shoulder scars due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's service-connected scars and ovarian cyst removal have been re-evaluated due to a finding of clear and unmistakable error in the July 2020 rating decision. The appeal is being remanded for further clarification and an examination.

The Veteran was granted TDIU from February 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016. However, the Board denied TDIU for the period January 1, 2017 to May 16, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability was granted, and his claim for an increased rating for a scalp scar is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for postoperative residuals of a left inguinal hernia and consequent surgical scar, as well as a higher rating for consequent painful scar due to deficiencies in the September 2022 VA opinion. The claims are being remanded again to obtain a supplemental VA medical opinion from a physician concerning neurological manifestations associated with the Veteran's left inguinal hernia.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including status post reconstruction and degenerative disease, is rated at 20 percent for flexion limitation since January 15, 2019.,An effective date of October 11, 2012, has been granted for the increased rating of 20 percent for left knee status post reconstruction limitation of flexion.,The Veteran's meniscal tear is rated at 10 percent since November 13, 2017.,A separate 10 percent evaluation has been assigned for left knee extension limitation from November 13, 2017.,Left knee instability is separately evaluated at 10 percent throughout the appeal period.,Left knee genu recurvatum is rated at 10 percent beginning December 21, 2021.,Painful left knee scars are rated at 10 percent.,An initial compensable rating of zero percent has been assigned for superficial left knee scars since December 21, 2021.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board granted a TDIU effective November 8, 2019.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and the award of an effective date prior to April 16, 2017, for the award of service connection for a lumbar area scar rated noncompensable (0 percent).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a miscarriage and female infertility, both related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The VA medical opinions found no causal link between these conditions and her military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher initial ratings were denied. The effective date of the awards was set at September 28, 2011.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further development, including scheduling an examination to assess the severity of his left forearm scar and issuing a Statement of the Case (SOC) addressing all issues on appeal.