Scars decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for myelodysplastic syndrome/leukemia, anemia, and hemochromatosis with effective dates of May 7, 2018, June 27, 2019, and June 27, 2019 respectively. The Board also denied service connection for endocarditis, myocarditis, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left mid-lung benign granuloma and granted a 10 percent rating for his residual abdominal scar, left lower quadrant, due to bilateral status-post inguinal hernia repair.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and denied initial ratings in excess of the current assigned ratings for various disabilities, including anxiety disorder, GERD, tinnitus, knee pain, wrist sprain, foot conditions, and scars.

The Board granted restoration of service connection for right middle finger laceration scar, prostate cancer surgical scar, erectile dysfunction, PTSD, malignant neoplasms of the prostate with radical prostatectomy and residual urinary incontinence due to agent orange exposure, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and special monthly compensation for loss of use of a creative organ.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of facial scars to obtain a more adequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's left finger condition, to include a ring-finger scar, is granted due to an etiological relationship with his service. Other claims for service connection are remanded.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for painful bilateral inguinal hernia repair scars, and remanded claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, a heart disability, a gastrointestinal disability, and diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied a compensable rating for acne, granted a 10 percent rating for asthma, and denied ratings greater than 10 percent for tinnitus, traumatic dislocation of septal cartilage, left wrist tendonitis, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and degenerative joint disease, and left ring finger and palm surgical scarring. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for left ring finger status post DIP arthrodesis and nodule excision.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for femoral nerve radiculopathy of both lower extremities and a 10 percent rating for a painful scar with one characteristic of disfigurement, while denying ratings in excess of 40 percent for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the lower left and right extremities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and higher disability ratings, finding that the evidence did not support a more favorable outcome.

The Board granted service connection for peripheral vascular disease (PVD) as secondarily aggravated by diabetes, right leg amputation and scar as secondary to PVD, and SMC for loss of use of the right foot. The evaluation in excess of 20 percent for diabetes was denied.

The appeal for a compensable rating for the service-connected surgical scar, right flank to right lower abdomen has been withdrawn by the Veteran's representative.

The Board denied the claims for revision of the May 2012 rating decision on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) as there was no evidence that the outcome would have been different but for the alleged errors.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for right foot osteoporosis and hammer toe of the 4th toe (status post fracture of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th metatarsals) but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, sleep apnea, heartburn, and a burn scar on the left upper extremity due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent evaluation for a surgical scar on the neck, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia, a disability rating higher than 0 percent for photophobia with dry eye syndrome, and an initial disability rating higher than 0 percent for right knee scars. The claims for increased ratings were denied due to the Veteran's failure to appear for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board remanded the claim for a compensable rating of the neck scar to obtain another VA examination and medical opinion, including a photograph.

The veteran's 60 percent rating for low back disability was restored, but higher ratings and other claims were denied or remanded.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for a left eyebrow scar due to pain is granted. The veteran will receive a 10 percent rating effective from October 21, 2022.