Scars decisions — 2023

The Veteran's surgical scar, residual of surgical repair of left meniscus tear and ruptured left quadriceps, is granted a 10 percent rating. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has granted service connection for right leg/knee scars, but denied service connection for a right lower leg/knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, Parkinson's disease, bilateral hand cramps and leg cramps secondary to Parkinson's disease due to incomplete verification of herbicide exposure in Korea. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to March 30, 2018, on an extraschedular basis due to the evidence not showing that his service-connected disabilities alone rendered him unemployable.

The Veteran's right elbow medial epicondylitis, left lower extremity PAD, diverticulosis, and vasovagal syncope are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's hemorrhoids, warts, right foot scar, and left lower leg scar are denied as not service-connected.

The Board denied a compensable rating for a right elbow scar from October 19, 2003, to June 25, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as he did not cooperate with the VA examinations and failed to provide medical records, resulting in a lack of sufficient evidence to decide his claims.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her back disability. The issues of entitlement to higher ratings for bilateral knee disability and back disability with associated radiculopathy of the left lower extremity and scar post-spinal surgery are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected sinusitis is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for entitlement to service connection for a neck scar is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for entitlement to service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for entitlement to service connection for a skin condition (including cellulitis and/or contact dermatitis) is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for entitlement to service connection for hearing loss is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is remanded.,The Veteran's appeal for entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (diabetes), to include as secondary to service-connected disability, is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, right femur disability (fracture with intramedullary rodding), and scars associated with his right femur disability are being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased evaluations for bilateral scrotal orchiopexy, right knee limitation of extension prior to July 21, 2022, right knee limitation of flexion, left knee meniscal tear, and left knee arthritis. The TDIU issue is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the above issues.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left inguinal abdominal scars is denied as the current 30 percent rating adequately compensates his disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for multiple scars of the right scrotum and stricture of the urethra have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to a Board decision.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection for left wrist disability and left wrist surgical scar. The TDIU issue remains before the Board.

The Veteran's claim for an initial 10 percent rating for a painful left knee scar is granted. The Board found the evidence supported a finding that the scar was both painful and not associated with underlying soft tissue damage, warranting a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7804.

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

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable disability ratings, increased disability ratings, and a rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected right shoulder disabilities are being remanded due to inadequate examinations.

The Veteran's application to reopen claims for service connection for cervical spine arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis, disc bulges, and right ankle arthritis was dismissed. The appeals for seborrheic dermatitis, right knee disability, TMJ, and major depressive disorder were granted.,The Veteran is now entitled to an increased rating of 40 percent for his right foot disability, a 50 percent rating for his right wrist degenerative arthritis from April 26, 2016, and a TDIU from August 8, 2016 to October 19, 2020.