Scars decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, secondary to tinnitus and a compensable rating for the cesarean section scar. The claims for service connection for left ankle condition, right ankle status post achilles tendon repair, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, osteoarthritis of both hips, right wrist condition, and left wrist condition were remanded.

The appeal was dismissed as a matter of law due to the proposed reductions being reversed after a finding of clear and unmistakable error.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disability, numbness of upper extremities, right shoulder impingement syndrome, allergic rhinitis, and scars.

The Board granted service connection for pilonidal cyst residuals including scar and denied a compensable disability rating for chronic bronchitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for a service-connected scar associated with inguinal hernia surgery, as there was no evidence of more than one painful scar and it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable DCs.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar strain and scarring of the lungs as there is no evidence showing that the Veteran has these disabilities or had such during the period on appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as there was no evidence to support higher ratings or a grant of service connection.

The Board granted the appeal and restored service connection for squamous cell cancer of the tonsil, esophageal stricture with surgical cricopharyngeal myotomy, scars associated with squamous cell cancer of the tonsil, GERD, and neck scar, residuals of cancer surgery.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, a bilateral wrist disability, a bilateral hip disability, facial scars, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle sprain.

The Board granted an effective date of September 16, 2019, for the grant of service connection for prostatic adenocarcinoma, erectile dysfunction, and scars, anterior trunk (abdominal) area, residual of radical prostatectomy surgery.

The appeal for service connection for various disabilities and an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for a mental health condition is remanded due to missing or incomplete service treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for traumatic brain injury, intermittent vertigo, and residuals of miscarriage. The claims for other trauma or stressor related disorder and anxiety were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, fibromyalgia, dermatosis of the feet, irritable bowel syndrome, and traumatic brain injury. The appeal was denied for increased ratings for PTSD, tremors of the hands, functional digestive disorder, asthma, rhinitis, and chin scar.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right thumb disability and a separate 10 percent rating for his painful right thumb scar.

The Board remands the claims for a new VA examination to address functional impairment and to determine whether the Veteran has an incisional inguinal hernia.

The Board granted an initial 60 percent rating for left cheek lichen simplex chronicus but denied a separate compensable rating for the left cheek scar.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings for various service-connected conditions, except for a few granted evaluations.

The Board granted eligibility to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the February 2024 rating decision, which included service connection for a painful hysterectomy scar and other benefits.

The Board granted service connection for a hysterectomy and miscarriage, both etiologically related to the Veteran's active-duty service, including potential herbicide exposure.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and facial scars, status post excision of cyst of left and right jaw. However, it granted an initial 40% rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy from June 3, 2024.