Scars decisions — 2022

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including monoclonal gammopathy, sleep apnea, stomach lining thickening, bilateral hearing loss, hydrocele of the testicle, and right hip scar. The claim for service connection for migraine headaches was reopened but not granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude all substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities are not met.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected esophageal cancer and its residuals, including dysphagia. The effective dates for the grants of service connection are being reviewed, as is the rating for the disabilities. A sleep impairment claim is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and the need for additional opinions from a VA podiatrist. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on all evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation that is consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Veteran's rosacea was granted a rating of 30 percent effective February 6, 2020.,Since February 6, 2020, the Veteran's claim for higher ratings for facial scars and back scars has been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new and updated evidence, as well as for further examination.

The Board denied initial compensable ratings for minor degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder and a scar status-post pilonidal cyst drainage, finding that the evidence did not support higher disability evaluations.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, lumbar spine disability on secondary basis to the service-connected left knee disability, and a left knee scar. The Veteran's conditions are related to his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of the back, left shoulder, and bilateral lower extremities prevent him from working. The Board has referred his claim for TDIU to VA's Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to the worsening of his back disability.

The Veteran's combined rating for his left knee disability is 60 percent from April 3, 2015. The claim of increased ratings prior to this date is denied as a matter of law due to the 'amputation rule'.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the Veteran's abdominal scar, finding that his symptoms of painful scars meet the criteria under Diagnostic Code 7804.

The Veteran is entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities as of December 22, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in its decision and a need for clarification on whether the Veteran is entitled to additional compensation for myofascial pain syndrome related to his service-connected residual scars.

The Veteran's keloid scars are currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is warranted due to their deep and nonlinear nature. The Veteran's infertility effective August 22, 2016, is granted as secondary to her service-connected severe refractory dysfunctional uterine bleeding.,The Veteran's bladder disability requires an appropriate VA examination to assess its current severity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected left axilla skin abscess scar is granted, with an effective date of August 14, 2020. The Veteran receives a 10 percent rating.

Your claim for a higher disability rating for left shoulder surgical scar has been granted with a 30% rating effective April 22, 2015. Your other claims have been dismissed.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 30 percent from December 1, 2014 to May 8, 2017. A higher rating for the entire period on appeal is denied. The Veteran's left ankle scars are rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling, which satisfies the requirement for a single disability rated as 100 percent. However, his other service-connected disabilities do not independently rate at 60 percent or more, thus denying entitlement to SMC based on housebound status.