Scars decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acute anemia has been granted, and the issue of service connection for recurrent kidney disability to include renal cell carcinoma, nephrectomy residuals, and surgical scars claimed as the result of herbicide agent exposure is remanded.

The Veteran's ankle, wrist, bowel, and urinary issues are being remanded for further development to determine the current severity of his service-connected disabilities and their etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to initial compensable disability ratings for left eyelid and brow scar and migraine headaches due to a duty to assist error.

The Board denied initial compensable disability ratings for scars on the Veteran's left and right shoulders, finding that the evidence did not support a rating based on the criteria in the Rating Schedule.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) have been granted with effective dates of August 27, 2016.,Effective from August 27, 2016, the Veteran is in receipt of a 60 percent rating for both SLE and DLE.

The appeals for higher initial ratings on the lumbar spine disability and surgical scars of the lower back are dismissed. The appeal for TDIU from April 22, 2021 to July 31, 2021 is dismissed as moot due to the concurrent award of SMC at the housebound rate. The appeal for TDIU prior to April 22, 2021 and after July 31, 2021 is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and compensable ratings for various conditions related to his knees, nerves, sleep, and legs have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish current disabilities or persistent symptoms for some of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for a total left knee replacement and left knee scar, as well as the issue of entitlement to TDIU due to concerns about the adequacy of the evidence considered in the previous rating decision.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for PTSD, initial rating for right shoulder disability, and rating for left shoulder scar from November 24, 2020 to February 5, 2021. The Veteran's claim for PTSD is reopened due to new evidence received after a prior denial.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from caring for himself and protecting himself, requiring regular aid and attendance. The Board has granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, acne vulgaris, scar from right knee surgery, and lumbosacral strain with spinal stenosis are all rated at the maximum allowed under VA guidelines. The Board has remanded for further review of these claims.,The Veteran's hearing loss is not compensable as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on audiometric test results. His acne vulgaris and lumbosacral strain with spinal stenosis are also rated at their maximum allowed under VA guidelines, and the Board has remanded these claims.,The Veteran's scar from right knee surgery and scar from lumbar laminectomy do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as they do not occupy an area of 929 square centimeters or greater.

The Board has granted attorney fees in the amount of $608.82 for past-due benefits awarded in an April 2023 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for muscle spasms and pain in upper back, muscle spasms and pain in neck, right knee strain with popping and pain (also claimed with right knee scar tissue), left knee strain with popping and pain, left ankle strain with popping and pain, and right ankle strain with popping and pain due to insufficient evidence to resolve the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hepatitis B infection, prostate cancer with voiding dysfunction, PTSD, and various neuropathies, have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his physical limitations. The Board has determined that the criteria for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance are met.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for scar, status post right shoulder surgery and a rating greater than 10 percent for painful scar, status post right shoulder surgery were denied as the evidence did not support these ratings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a scar on the dorsum of his right foot and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential errors in the decision-making process.

The Veteran's status-post surgical removal of osteoma of skull with cranioplasty reconstruction is denied a compensable rating.,A 30 percent rating for the painful scar on the head has been granted, but no higher.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings related to her service-connected right clavicle fracture, left wrist fracture, and left wrist scars are being remanded due to the need to obtain information about the qualifications of the VA examiners who conducted the December 2019 examinations.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of December 7, 2016 for a 10 percent evaluation for abdominal scars that have been painful since the date of service connection.