Scars decisions — 2022

The Veteran's spouse, L.H., is the caregiver and has been providing personal care services for him. The Board found that participation in the PCAFC would significantly enhance his ability to live safely at home. However, the claim was remanded due to incomplete caregiver training and assessment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for pilonidal cyst residual scar, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection for hypertension was granted with a noncompensable rating effective March 29, 2011.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than July 1, 2021, for the painful right-hand scar was denied as there is no indication that he filed a claim prior to July 1, 2021. The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 6260 and cannot be increased.,The Veteran's service-connected right-hand shell fragment wound has been rated as 10 percent disabling since June 22, 2007. He was granted a higher rating of 50 percent for PTSD in July 2021.

The Board has denied service connection for hepatitis. The cases of scarring of the lung, tumor of the left thigh, and hyperthyroidism are remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions and a compensable rating have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for various hip, elbow, and knee conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records. The appellant is also asked to provide information about private practitioners who treated her husband prior to his passing.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the severity of his eczema, keloid scars on the left upper extremity (LUE), and anterior trunk. The issues include seeking higher ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's rating for scars, tender to palpation was reduced from 20% to 0%, effective February 1, 2019. The Board found that the reduction was improper and restored the original 20% rating.

The Veteran's appeals regarding increased ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected conditions have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues are no longer before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's spontaneous pneumothorax resolved does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The issues of increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to new evidence or change in disability status.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment for the period from December 26, 2007, to January 4, 2010. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board finds service connection for hypertension granted due to the PACT Act presumption. Service connection for stroke and scar on the left side of face are remanded as there was a pre-decisional error regarding notification for VA examinations.

The Veteran's TDIU due to service-connected bilateral foot pes planus is granted, effective May 29, 2019. Additionally, the Veteran's SMC housebound based on her TDIU and other service-connected disabilities is also granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection for syncope as secondary to COPD due to inadequate medical opinions addressing causation, aggravation, and foreseeability.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination due to lack of recent VA treatment records, need for a new VA examination to assess current severity of service-connected conditions, and need for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's polymyalgia rheumatica is related to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded multiple issues for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for examinations to assess the current severity of various service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's claims are not about service connection via a presumption like PACT Act/Agent Orange/Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied service connection for left hand injury residuals, including arthritis and scar and metallic fragments, finding that the evidence did not support a direct link to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 2, 2016, finding that he was not working full-time and therefore did not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, left knee surgical scar, and cervical spine arthritis with spasms due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.