Scars decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that it is related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a left knee disability, and a left knee scar due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of his appeal by his attorney.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to October 28, 2014 for service connection of a painful surgical scar on her left knee and for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee osteoarthritis. The effective date was set at October 28, 2014 due to the Veteran's surgery that day. The Board found no earlier effective date as the evidence did not show entitlement arose prior to this date.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for his service-connected painful keloid chest scars, keloid chest scars, left elbow scar, right elbow scar, and tinnitus. The claims were found to have no legal merit due to the absence of formal or informal claims prior to January 23, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of permanent and total disability.

The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates for service connection of right knee and left thumb and right knee scars has been dismissed as the Veteran and his representative withdrew their appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a 10% rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities is denied because he has already been assigned compensable ratings for other conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment due to his limitations on walking, sitting, standing, lifting, carrying, and sleep disturbances.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for left nephrectomy scar and renal cell carcinoma has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his request for a hearing.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a lumbar disorder due to procedural issues and further development is needed.

The Veteran's skin condition of the hand is rated at 10 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's scars of the right knee are currently rated as noncompensable. The Board found no basis to grant a compensable rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's skin condition of the hand is rated at 10 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's scars of the right knee are currently rated as noncompensable. The evidence did not show any compensable scars based on size or instability.

The Veteran's skin condition of the hand is rated at 10 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's scars of the right knee are currently rated as noncompensable. The evidence did not show any compensable scars based on size or instability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted with effective dates of May 1, 1997.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's employment history and requests for clarification. The initial compensable rating claim for a left armpit scar remains under review, as does the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 40 percent, and there is no evidence of renal dysfunction or obstructed voiding. The Veteran does not have physical deformity of his penis for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction.,A surgical scar from prostatectomy has an area less than 39 square centimeters and does not meet the criteria for any higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 7801, 7802, or 7804.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU and special monthly compensation based on statutory housebound criteria. The Veteran was granted a combined rating of 80 percent for his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease rated at 100 percent, which alone qualifies him for TDIU.

The Veteran's low back scar, which measures at most 5 cm by 0.5 cm and is not painful or unstable, does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating prior to January 21, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.