Scars decisions — 2025

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for colon cancer residuals with colon resection residuals, bowel disturbances, and GERD, and a separate 10 percent rating for GERD. The claim for a compensable rating for colon resection scar residuals was denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sinusitis is granted pursuant to the PACT Act. Other claims are remanded.

The veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection and increased ratings, resulting in the dismissal of all issues.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent rating for a single painful scar at the site of the Veteran's right inguinal hernia repair.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of March 20, 2018 for service connection for residuals of testicular cancer and left groin scars.

The Board granted service connection for a painful raised scar with flaking and fibrosis of the skin on the right posterior calf based on an in-service injury from stepping over concertina wire during a march.

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

The Board granted the restoration of a 10 percent rating for chronic right orchialgia with right denervation, vasectomy, spermatocyte removal, and epididymectomy but denied a compensable rating for inguinal nerve suprapubic right lower quadrant scar and inguinal canal scar.

The Board denied various claims for increased ratings and service connection, including those for PTSD (with TBI), headaches, left elbow fracture with limitation of flexion, left elbow post-operative scar (painful), right 3rd finger fracture, bilateral hearing loss, left elbow scar, right ankle sprain to include right shin splint, erectile dysfunction, right hand disability, and low back disability.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and higher ratings, but granted a 20% rating for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the right and left lower extremities, as well as TDIU from March 30, 2011 to February 14, 2019.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right shoulder disability, granted service connection for sinusitis under the PACT Act, and remanded several issues including direct service connection for sinusitis.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, including residuals of fragment wounds left thigh and both buttocks with retained metallic fragments, right lower extremity scar, left lower extremity scars, painful fragment wound scars, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ischemic heart disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and hypertension.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, including residuals of fragment wounds left thigh and both buttocks with retained metallic fragments, right lower extremity scar, left lower extremity scars, painful fragment wound scars, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ischemic heart disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and hypertension.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of October 11, 2021, for the grant of individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation based on persistent depressive disorder.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for further development, including obtaining any outstanding relevant records and a medical opinion regarding the impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for migraine headaches was granted, allowing an earlier effective date of March 21, 1997.

The Board denied service connection for TMJ disorder, bilateral hearing loss, abrasion of the left cornea, and bilateral myopia. However, it granted a 100 percent disability rating for major depressive disorder with PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates for service connection for impairment of rectal sphincter control and anterior trunk scar painful, as the persuasive weight of the evidence does not support that these disabilities arose prior to May 10, 2022.

The appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was dismissed, and several other claims were remanded for further development.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent rating for the Veteran's residual scar of ruptured tympanic membrane, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.