Scars decisions — 2024

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA claims are granted with an effective date of March 20, 2013.,It was determined that the Veteran met the schedular criteria for TDIU from March 20, 2013.

The Veteran's painful scar was noted at service entry and became symptomatic during active duty, meeting the criteria for service connection as aggravated by military service.,There is no evidence of non-erosive gastropathy or GERD in service. The Board finds that these conditions are not related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from June 9, 2020, due to his service-connected prostate cancer residuals rated at 40 percent. The SMC at the housebound rate is denied prior to September 29, 2020.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding his scars located on the back, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not precluded substantially gainful employment, and he has not been in receipt of a total rating or identified a permanent and total disability. The Board denied the TDIU and permanent and total evaluation claims as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone were sufficient to produce unemployability.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims of entitlement to service connection for left wrist scar and flat feet are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's back disability is related to his reported injury in military service. The claims for right foot hammer toes, left foot hammer toes, and cystectomy scars are denied.

The Veteran's right hand injury is rated at 70 percent, the maximum schedular rating.,The Veteran's residuals of adenocarcinoma of the prostate are rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction (ED) is rated at 0 percent, as it is already at its maximum schedular rating.,The Veteran's right-hand scars from bayonet wound injury are rated at 10 percent.,The Veteran's right-hand scars from bayonet wound injury are rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, including laryngeal cancer and related conditions.

The Veteran's PFB and acne keloidalis nuchae with associated scarring are granted service connection. The cervical spine, bilateral foot, and erectile dysfunction claims are remanded.

The Veteran's initial ratings for residual cervical spine scar, left upper and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have been granted. The Veteran is now in receipt of a higher rating for his left upper and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy since August 20, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for allergic rhinitis and scar, status-post left herniorrhaphy were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable VA regulations.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee scar as secondary to the Veteran's already service-connected right knee disability.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to lack of clarification on his preferred docket.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to August 3, 2011 were denied as the earliest possible effective date is the date of receipt of her claim.,An earlier effective date for service connection was not granted due to lack of a formal or informal claim within one year of discharge from service.

The appeal for increased ratings for hypertension, back scar, and PFB scar has been dismissed as the Veteran's appeals were untimely.,The appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates due to duty-to-assist errors. The hearing loss claim is granted with a 10% rating from February 9, 2021. The scars claim remains pending. TDIU and DEA claims are also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing (SAH) or special home adaptation (SHA) grants due to his combined rating of 90 percent, which does not include anatomical loss or use of both hands or feet, and does not result in a permanent total disability that precludes locomotion without aids such as braces, crutches, canes, or wheelchair.

The Veteran's facial scars are rated at 30 percent for residual scars and 10 percent for painful left and right cheek scars. The Board denied an increased rating in excess of these assigned ratings.