Scars decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the need for aid and attendance, as he requires assistance with bathing, toileting, dressing, managing medication, eating, preparing food, and shaving.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include telangiectasia associated with scars / vasculitis, headaches, and a left hip disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings, service connection, and a temporary total evaluation due to inadequate examinations in previous remands. The Veteran's knee disabilities are being examined again to assess their severity, including flare-ups, and his left hip disability is being evaluated with consideration of its relationship to his knee disabilities.

The Board has found that further development is needed due to the Veteran's claims for service connection for Crohn's disease, a head disorder including a head scar, migraine headaches, and a thyroid disorder. The Veteran contends these conditions are related to his military service, specifically exposure at Camp LeJeune where he drank contaminated water.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claim for bilateral hearing loss disability remains pending and not reopened. Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional eye disability due to VA treatment on August 10, 2015, is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when taken together, prevent him from securing or following a 'substantially gainful' occupation given his prior vocational history and the impact of his service-connected right foot disabilities (i.e., pes planus, hallux valgus, and hallux rigidus), left foot disability(status post fracture with hallux valgus), back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, right foot and back scars, and GERD, when taken together, have on obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful non-sedentary employment and sedentary employment, including in his past employment as a police officer.

The Board denied the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The effective dates for his service connection awards for hypertension, gynecomastia, and a left shoulder burn scar were all set to September 23, 2015.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disabilities and reactive airway disease due to incomplete development. The Veteran is also no longer seeking TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the spine, left ankle post traumatic tendonitis, gastritis with gastroesophageal reflux disease, dermatitis, and scar, residual of spine surgery have all been denied.,Specifically, the Veteran's back disability was rated at 10 percent prior to September 22, 2020, and at 20 percent from that date onwards.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chest scar and denied the claim as there is no persuasive evidence showing that the current condition began during active service or is related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's left eye conjunctival pigmentation, claimed as a left eye condition, is related to service and granted.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability, manifested by painful motion, began in service and is granted.

The Board has dismissed all pending appeals due to the Veteran's attorney requesting withdrawal of all appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy, left and right knee arthritis, small bowel resection, abdominal scars, and abdominal surgical scar, have rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. As a result, TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions were dismissed as the claims were not timely filed.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and service-connected scar are being remanded for further evaluation as the initial disability evaluations were based on VA examinations that did not adequately assess his symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and peripheral arterial diseases of multiple limbs, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to September 23, 2020.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on being factually housebound has been denied due to the presence of nonservice-connected disabilities. The appeal is remanded to consider whether she meets the schedular criteria for SMC based on housebound status after her increased rating for Sjogren's syndrome is determined.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is remanded due to incomplete employment and income information. The RO must verify the Veteran's work history, obtain completed VA Forms 21-4192 from his employers, and determine if he qualifies for TDIU on a schedular or extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly assess the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his daily life. The Veteran will be provided with new VA examinations for his cervical spine, lumbar spine, PTSD, migraine headaches, bilateral foot disability, scar of the right hand long finger, penile disorder, and sleep apnea.