Scars decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied across multiple conditions, including right lower leg scars, left knee strain and instability, low back pain, right common peroneal nerve injury, and sciatic nerve radiculopathy. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for headaches, a left elbow disorder, and post-operative residuals of abdominal surgery, other than residual scarring due to insufficient evidence in the March 2020 VA examination report. The Veteran's current condition is being evaluated.

Service connection is granted for a scar of the right lower extremity.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for his service-connected scar, status post left testicular removal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the condition and any associated functional impairment.

The Board has denied a higher disability evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected thoracostomy scar due to pneumothorax, but has remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records of in-patient treatment and surgery at the Naval Hospital at Camp Pendleton. The claims will be reconsidered with these additional records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right foot scars and disability have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation of his service-connected right foot disability has also been denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is reopened, but the effective date earlier than March 18, 2014 is denied.,The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for right knee internal derangement and degenerative joint disease, scar, status post right medial meniscectomy, painful right knee scar, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), and degenerative disc disease mild and facet arthropathy, mild L4-5, L5-S1 are all denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee condition is also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development of the evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a separate 10 percent rating for an appendectomy scar and the establishment of additional benefits for her spouse and child are granted with an effective date of March 8, 2013.

The Board has denied an initial compensable rating for the Veteran's chorioretinal scar of the left eye, finding that it did not result in any impairment of visual acuity or muscle function.

The Board has granted service connection for a scar of the right eyebrow and remanded the issue of service connection for skin cancer of the face, including malignant melanoma.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent before March 23, 2017. From March 23, 2017 to December 15, 2019, a rating of 40 percent was granted. After that date, the claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has remanded three issues: service connection for aortic stenosis, painful anterior scars, and multiple scars of the anterior trunk. The remand is due to further development needed as to whether the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability ratings for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease and right knee scar to their previous levels, effective July 1, 2014.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 13, 2014. Therefore, the claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis is granted with an effective date of July 31, 2011.

The Board denied requests for earlier effective dates for service connection and SMC based on loss of a creative organ, as these grants were assigned the earliest possible effective date following separation from active duty.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to final adjudication of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA examination reports and considering all evidence added since the November 2020 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not limit or prevent participation in the avocational interests of exercise, photography, and music. The Board denied the request for VR&E benefits to purchase a music keyboard, stationary and electric bicycles, and camera as part of his avocational activities.

The Veteran's retinal scar of the right eye is rated at 20 percent, but not more. The left hip disability was denied as it did not begin during active service and is not otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.