Scars decisions — 2024

The Veteran's scar, status-post surgery inguinal hernia is granted an initial rating of 10 percent. The right hip scars and chronic prostatitis with dysuria are denied initial compensable ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left gastrocnemius scar, and bronchial asthma, rendered him unable to maintain employment prior to May 22, 2014. The Board grants an effective date of March 19, 2013, for the award of a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development to address pre-decisional errors and obtain medical opinions regarding the severity of the appellant's radiculopathy and scarring, as well as when these conditions first manifested.

The Veteran's claims for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to December 3, 2019 and basic eligibility to DEA based on permanent and total disability status prior to December 3, 2019 are being remanded due to the AOJ's failure to refer these matters to the VA Director of Compensation and Pension for a determination.

Service connection for right upper extremity neuropathy, left upper extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy is denied.,Service connection for a scar of colon removal as secondary to rectal adenocarcinoma is denied.

The Veteran's cervical scar claim is denied, and the psychiatric disorder claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, acquired psychiatric disorder, cervical spine disorder, seizure disorder, temporomandibular joint disorder, and facial trauma scar (claimed as lip scar) due to lack of credible evidence supporting the Veteran's claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable disability evaluation for scars due to nephrectomy, finding that the evidence does not support an increase in rating.

The Veteran is seeking earlier effective dates for various service-connected conditions, but the Board finds that no such effective dates are warranted based on the evidence of record.,For his back disability, the Veteran seeks an earlier effective date due to CUE in a March 2012 rating decision. The Board found no clear and unmistakable error.

The Veteran's right hand disability and unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder are granted service connection, while sinusitis, lumbosacral strain, right lower extremity radiculopathy, allergic rhinitis, and scarring status post inguinal hernia surgery do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's bladder cancer disability is rated at 60 percent, but no higher. A separate 10 percent rating for recurrent UTIs as a residual of bladder cancer is granted.,Service-connected scars are currently rated at 20 percent, with an effective date of May 13, 2015. The Veteran's post-operative anterior trunk scars do not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board has found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in Thailand and granted service connection for ischemic heart disease. The issue of secondary service connection for scars status post heart surgery as related to ischemic heart disease is remanded due to a lack of medical examination. The issue of direct service connection for sleep apnea, which may be related to the Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease and exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand, is also remanded.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for left knee scars has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for multiple thigh, shoulder, and elbow disabilities, as well as a left elbow scar, based on the lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's in-service injury.

The Board has determined that there are incomplete service treatment records and a need for clarification of the Veteran's periods of active duty, inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA), and active duty for training (ACDUTRA). As such, these issues are being remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and the criteria for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under section 1318 were also not met.

The Board denied a request for an effective date prior to May 30, 2014 for the rating increase from noncompensable to 10 percent for a third metacarpal scar.

The Board has identified several issues on appeal and has determined that additional evidence should be considered by the AOJ before making a final decision.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to allow the Veteran to file a VA Form 9 to perfect his appeal. The issues include service connection for a right ankle disability, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right foot bursitis, and an initial compensable rating for scar of the left foot.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for lipoma excision scar, right posterior neck and reopening of the lumbosacral strain claim are remanded. The TDIU claim is also remanded.