Scars decisions — 2025

The Board granted a rating of 20 percent for left-hand scars, as the Veteran has four painful scars on his left hand.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, increased ratings for posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive disorder, a compensable rating for residual scars from kidney surgery under DC 7802, but granted a 20 percent rating for the same condition starting February 10, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, restored the bilateral eye herpes simplex keratitis with corneal scar to a compensable rating, and granted an increased rating of 20 percent from July 27, 2021, as well as entitlement to TDIU from August 27, 2022. The claim for service connection for hypertension was remanded.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and initial compensable ratings were partially granted, with service connection awarded from May 18, 2022, but no initial compensable rating was assigned.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for PTSD, left knee strain, right leg and hip impairments, and painful scars. An earlier effective date for TDIU was granted from January 1, 2019, to October 5, 2019. Service connection was remanded for a left shoulder condition and low back condition.

The Board granted an effective date of April 18, 2016, for service connection for kidney cancer residuals and related scars.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for residuals of testicular cancer status post right orchiectomy, a right inguinal scar status post (s/p) orchiectomy, and higher-level special monthly compensation.

The Board remands the claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) to obtain an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's TBI residuals cause a need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for residual surgical scars, left hip and left hip strain, status post labral repair.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as remanded certain claims.

The Board remands the claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151 for drug-induced myopathy and an eye disorder due to medication taken for high cholesterol, as it finds pre-decisional duty to assist errors occurred.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including migraines, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, ankle disability, back disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, scars on the head, neck, or face, and tinnitus, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran was granted a special monthly compensation (SMC) based on entitlement to SMC(l) for being so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, effective December 17, 2010.

The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis associated with the left foot bunionectomy and a 10 percent rating for residual surgical scar, status post left foot bunionectomy. The claim for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis was denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased rating due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board granted an initial disability rating of 10 percent for basal cell carcinoma of the nose with actinic keratosis, but denied earlier effective date and a compensable rating for right nasal wall scar.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's appendectomy scars as they do not meet the criteria for a 10% or higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable disability ratings for service-connected fasciotomy scars on his right and left lower extremities, as the evidence did not support a finding of any functional impact or other criteria necessary for a compensable rating.

The Board denied service connection for a nose disability and denied increased ratings for right little finger residual pain and surgical scars, finding no current disabilities or evidence supporting the claims.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma on the back and basal cell carcinoma affecting the cheek and face, as there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not associating with the claims folder records within VA's constructive possession.