Scars decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and service connection, with some issues being remanded.

The Board granted service connection for steatohepatitis and gastrointestinal impairment, to include chronic diarrhea and GERD. The claims for a chronic cough, right upper extremity neuropathy, left upper extremity neuropathy, facial scar, back disability, left hip disability, bilateral hand osteoarthritis, hemorrhoids, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension were denied.

The Board remanded the claims for service connection for a sinus disability, facial scars, left hip disability, residuals of human papillomavirus (HPV), and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to duty to assist errors. The claim for a left shoulder disability was denied as new evidence did not warrant readjudication.

The Veteran is granted a 10 percent rating for his service-connected scar, status post suboccipital craniotomy with resection of a right cerebellar from January 25, 2022.

The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's upper back scar, finding that the criteria for a higher rating were not met.

The Board granted service connection for left foot hallux valgus and left foot bunionectomy scar with an effective date of August 25, 2022. An initial rating of 10 percent was assigned for allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's claim for a higher level of special monthly compensation (SMC) was denied as the evidence did not show that he required personal health-care services provided on a daily basis in his home by a person who is licensed to provide such services or under the regular supervision of a licensed health-care professional.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for scar, status post lobectomy was granted as a painful scar. The claim for a compensable rating for lung cancer with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, compensable ratings, and service connection due to a lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The Board denied several claims for increased ratings and granted service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, restored a 10 percent rating for right knee instability effective May 12, 2021, and granted an effective date of June 22, 2016, but no earlier, for the award of eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35.

The Board granted a 20 percent initial evaluation for dry eye syndrome and separate 30 percent evaluations for compartment syndrome affecting the left and right leg muscles, while denying an increased rating for residual anteromedial scars postoperative decompression of the right lower leg and remanding the claim for acne.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral upper and lower radicular pain was dismissed, but the Veteran's status post right great metatarsal stress fracture was granted a 20% rating, and his linear scar s/p appendectomy was granted a 10% rating.

The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for major depressive disorder with primary insomnia effective December 16, 2019, and an initial 40 percent disability rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease from June 27, 2017 through December 6, 2021.

The Board granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, to include as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, but denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for scars on the left knee and face.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for angle recession glaucoma, right eye, scarring, visual field defect with amblyopia and open angle glaucoma, left eye; a compensable evaluation for scar, posterior trunk, status post lipoma removal; and an evaluation higher than 10 percent for painful scar, status post lipoma removal.

The Board denied increased ratings for various scars and CKD but granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and denied service connection for scar of the head, face, or neck. The claims for service connection for GERD, erectile dysfunction, right elbow disability, and acquired psychiatric disability were remanded.

The appeal was denied as the Veteran did not timely file a Board Appeal request with respect to the rating decision issued on August 23, 2023.

The Board granted an effective date of October 27, 2021, for the award of service connection for residual scar status post squamous cell carcinoma but denied an earlier effective date for back disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a separate compensable disability rating for scars of the left lower extremity, as these scars should be included in the current 30 percent disability rating assigned for painful scars.