Scars decisions — 2025

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's painful scar associated with his cervical spine disability from December 4, 2019, and remanded other issues for further development.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's back disability, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, limitation of pronation and flexion of the right elbow, and scarring, but granted a 40 percent rating from March 26, 2024 to September 17, 2024.

The veteran withdrew the appeal for all issues related to increased ratings for various service-connected conditions.

The Board granted service connection for right wrist strain, testicular pain, TMJ with bruxism, and erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD), while denying increased ratings for PTSD, left wrist strain, abdominal scarring status post appendectomy, chronic sinusitis, IBS, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board also granted special monthly compensation based on the loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board denied increased ratings for kidney cancer, kidney removal, painful periumbilical scar status post partial nephrectomy, and surgical scars status post partial nephrectomy. The effective date of service connection was granted as May 13, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for residuals from a right inguinal hernia, to include a surgical scar, and a low back disability. The claims for service connection for bilateral knee and heart disabilities were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for residuals of a fifth finger fracture and a scar to the right hand, as well as an increased evaluation for a painful scar.

The Board granted an effective date of April 16, 2014, for the award of service connection for verruca vulgaris scars.

The veteran withdrew all claims on appeal, and the Board has no jurisdiction to consider them further.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the service connection of various conditions related to lung cancer, including scars, pain, and hearing loss, but denied an earlier effective date for non-small cell lung cancer itself.

The Board granted service connection for an anxiety disorder as secondary to tinnitus and denied the claims for service connection for TBI, sinusitis, higher ratings for left CTS, left inguinal hernia, and a scar associated with left inguinal hernia. The decision also remanded several other conditions for further development.

The Board found that the reduction of the rating for service-connected painful left foot scar from 10 percent to 0 percent, effective July 19, 2023, was not proper and is void ab initio.

The Board granted service connection for left knee, right knee, lumbosacral strain, and right hand scars, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sinusitis, urticaria, allergic rhinitis, tension headaches, shoulder bursitis, foot plantar fasciitis, ankle tendonitis, thumb strain, and PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder. The Board also remanded claims for fatigue, CFS, sleep apnea, and amputated left little finger.

The Veteran's service-connected dry eye syndrome is granted a 20 percent evaluation, while his left leg scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal requests for the specified rating decisions were denied as they were not timely filed, and good cause was not shown to accept late filings.

The Board denied service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, hearing loss, and various other conditions as the evidence did not support a finding of direct or secondary causation to active service.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and increased ratings for various conditions but granted restoration of a 10 percent rating for left and right pubic symphysis DJD with limitation of hip extension.

The Veteran was granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance due to a service-connected prostate disability.

The Board remands the claim for an increased rating for residual scar(s) of basal cell carcinoma to obtain private medical records from Dr. C.C.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the 10 percent evaluation of residual surgical scar, status post C-section and the 60 percent evaluation of pulmonary vascular disease (including pulmonary thromboembolism) with obstructive sleep apnea.