Scars decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for burn scars on the face, status post right shoulder scar, and left hip strain have been denied. The evidence does not support a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue is denied as there is no current diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome or chronic fatigue. The Veteran does not have a compensable rating for esophagus, stricture of, and polyps (claimed as intestinal polyps, painful swallowing, GERD).,The Veteran's TMD claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's claims for scars are remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's IBS and cholecystectomy claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's Hashimoto's thyroid disorder, hypothyroidism, Graves' disease claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's stress incontinence claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's sexual dysfunction and pelvic pain claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's cervical strain claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's back pain claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's left side sciatica, right side sciatica, right hand condition, left foot pain, and right foot pain claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating and an earlier effective date for service connection of painful throat scars was denied. The Board found no CUE in the June 2023 decision that granted service connection, nor did it find continuous pursuit of the claim for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a special home adaptation grant as they do not result in anatomical loss or use of both hands, blindness in both eyes, deep partial thickness burns, full thickness or subdermal burns, or residuals of an inhalation injury.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of November 5, 1983, for the grant of service connection for a residual abdominal scar was granted. The Board found that her reasonably raised claim had been pending since her initial claim in November 1983 and remained pending until it was adjudicated in October 2022.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from August 7, 2012 to February 8, 2025 due to his service-connected disabilities. He was also granted basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits for the same period.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective June 2, 2017. The DEA benefits claim for the Veteran's child or surviving spouse is also granted as of June 2, 2017. The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings are dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided to remand the claims for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of various conditions, including cervical spine condition, lumbar spine condition, facial scar, left foot condition, right foot condition, left hip condition, right hip condition, left knee condition, and right shoulder condition.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is denied as the evidence does not show he was in need of regular aid and attendance prior to July 15, 2022.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 USC Chapter 35 is also denied because he did not have a permanent total service-connected disability prior to April 8, 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer with bladder cancer and major depressive disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from January 1, 2021. The combined disability rating is at least 60 percent, meeting the criteria for TDIU and SMC.

The Veteran's esophageal cancer residuals, neck scar, and abdominal scars have been awarded service connection effective June 23, 2021. The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the esophageal cancer residuals from that date.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from November 21, 2019. The right hip disability service connection claim is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed due to untimely filings. The Board has also remanded several issues related to her left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's injuries sustained in a June 2021 motorcycle accident were not incurred in line of duty due to his own willful misconduct, and therefore, service connection for all claimed conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for head/neck squamous cell carcinoma and painful scar was improper, and the appeal is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 0 percent for her service-connected surgical scar, status post pancreatic neoplasm removal, was denied as the scar does not cover an area of at least 144 square inches or greater.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his principal cause of death, cardiopulmonary arrest. As such, the claim for service connection for cause of death is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to increased evaluations for right knee osteoarthritis and right knee scar due to procedural issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or a right hand burn scar with underlying tissue damage, and therefore denied service connection for these conditions. The issues of entitlement to compensable evaluations for the right hand burn scars and the scar on the right hip are remanded for further evaluation.