Scars decisions — 2025

The appeal for issues related to eczema, IBS, headaches, liver disability, enlarged prostate and urinary frequency, allergic rhinitis, and restrictive lung disease were dismissed. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis was denied.

The veteran withdrew the appeal for increased disability ratings and service connection for certain conditions.

The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was denied, and the appeals for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions were dismissed as a matter of law due to concurrent elections.

The appeal of the proposed reduction from 10 percent to noncompensable for both bilateral tinea pedis and contact dermatitis, bilateral thighs with residual scarring was dismissed due to a procedural defect.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for migraines, cervical spinal stenosis, a scar on neck, and right ankle disability, as well as increased ratings for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The appeal for service connection for PTSD was denied due to insufficient evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's left breast scar from January 31, 2024, and dismissed appeals for an increased rating for left breast phyllodes tumor excision surgery and special monthly compensation for loss of use of a creative organ (SMC-K).

The Board remands the claim for a compensable rating for residual scars as a result of squamous cell carcinoma of the hands and lower extremities to ensure VA makes adequate efforts to obtain relevant private treatment records from Dr. M.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection and higher initial evaluations for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, actinic keratoses, plantar fasciitis, basal cell carcinoma, and various musculoskeletal issues.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and migraine headaches.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for residual scar burn reconstructive surgery of anterior and posterior trunk due to a duty-to-assist error regarding obtaining surgical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded several issues, including those related to bunionectomy scars and effective dates.

The Board remands the claim for a recurrent pulmonary disability to ensure that there is a complete record upon which to decide the claim, including obtaining a thorough and contemporaneous medical examination.

The Board denied an effective date prior to September 5, 2023, for a 100 percent rating for MDD and SMC based on housebound criteria. However, it granted service connection for right ear painful scar, right ear surgical scar, and sleep apnea with an effective date of November 30, 2020.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches, right elbow flexion limitation, and left anterior scalp scar. It also granted a 20 percent rating for the right elbow flexion and a 10 percent rating for the left anterior scalp scar. The claims for higher ratings were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not support a compensable disability rating or service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The veteran was granted a disability evaluation of 40 percent for ventral hernia from April 22, 2024 to May 19, 2024 and 60 percent from May 19, 2024. The other claims were denied.

The Board granted service connection for lung scarring and remanded the other issues for further development.

The Board granted an effective date of November 20, 2012, and no earlier, for the grant of eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 USC chapter 35 but denied earlier effective dates for service connection claims and increased ratings.

The veteran withdrew the appeal by way of a February 2024 Statement in Support of Claim, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review the appeal.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection of Hodgkin's lymphoma, scars secondary to Hodgkin's lymphoma, and vitiligo as secondary to Hodgkin's lymphoma, all based on the PACT Act.