Scars decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for dry eye syndrome, facial scarring, GERD, and entitlement to individual unemployability.

The Board granted an effective date of July 26, 2023, for service connection for disfigurement and painful scar related to the Veteran's carotid artery surgery.

The Board granted ratings for hypothyroidism, PTSD, right total hip replacement, and migraine headaches, while denying higher ratings or additional compensation for other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right and left ankle tendonitis, a rating greater than 10 percent for cystic acne, an initial compensable rating for scars associated with cystic acne, and various other conditions. The claims were either denied or remanded.

The Board denied initial compensable ratings for chronic bronchitis, status post-surgical scar, left lateral chest wall, and status post closed fracture of the right little finger. The claim for a 10 percent rating based upon multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities prior to July 22, 2024, was remanded.

The Board granted a 60 percent initial disability rating for left knee arthrosis status post left knee replacement and remanded the issues of service connection for right knee condition and initial ratings for side of left big toe scar, residual of bunionectomy.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right hip, varicose veins of the right leg, and hepatitis C, as the evidence did not support higher disability ratings.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities for a VA examination and medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and entitlement to dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1318, as there was no evidence linking the Veteran's service or any service-connected disability to his cause of death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date, a compensable rating under DC 7802, and a higher initial rating under DC 7804 for her scar status post excision right breast and right axillary lymph node for fibrocystic disease.

The Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities that interfere with normal employability, and remanded the matter of a compensable rating for colon cancer, status post resection.

The Board denied a compensable rating for right-hand scars and remanded the claims for service connection for a cervical condition and right upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the muscle group XVII (status post gunshot wound to the right buttock) disability from May 4, 2016. The appeal seeking earlier effective dates for service connection was dismissed.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a pulmonary condition, to include asthma, lung scarring, pulmonary vascular disease, and pulmonary hypertension, as additional evidence is needed.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the bilateral fingers, a bilateral elbow disability, a left knee disability, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The Board also denied an initial compensable rating for a lumbar spine scar (lower back scar).

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for C-section surgical scar, lumbosacral strain (claimed as low back pain), and herpes simplex Type 1.

The claims are remanded to correct duty to assist errors that occurred prior to the relevant decisions on appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for colon cancer and four scars, post-colon cancer surgeries as secondary to colon cancer due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher rating for his left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy and painful left foot scar.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, lower back pain, residuals of surgery, cyst removal tailbone (pilonidal), and painful scar, gluteal cleft to correct a duty to assist error related to obtaining relevant treatment records and verifying active duty and inactive duty training dates.