Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining service treatment records and SSA disability benefits records.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for treatment at Delaware Valley Hospital on September 30, 2005 were denied as the treatment was non-emergent and did not meet the criteria for reimbursement under VA regulations.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any of his service-connected disabilities, and the Board denies service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a non-VA facility due to treatment on October 6, 2007 was denied because the emergency services were not provided in an emergency department and VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Board has granted service connection for loss of bone in the mandible between teeth nos. 23 and 26 due to a traumatic injury sustained during service, and has also granted an initial compensable rating (10%) for left arm scars as residuals of shell fragment wounds.

The Board has granted service connection for a scar on the head and assigned a noncompensable evaluation. The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth was withdrawn.

For the time period prior to October 14, 2008, the Veteran's hallux valgus of the right and left feet were not shown to warrant a compensable evaluation.,For the time period from October 14, 2008, the Veteran's hallux valgus of the right foot was manifested by moderate to severe deformity that limited function. The left foot remained noncompensably disabled.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date was granted, and he is now entitled to a 10% disability rating for his scar condition since May 5, 1999.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's head injury residuals are due to his own willful misconduct and therefore not service-connected.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as she is still able to perform substantially gainful employment.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the appellant's service-connected right lower leg scar disability, finding that it did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work experience during a period prior to April 25, 2006.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as his employment issues are due to non-service connected conditions and psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's right thumb disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling since November 18, 2008. Prior to that date, the disability was not compensable.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for the service-connected left middle finger scar and did not grant service connection for residuals of hepatitis B.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's service records do not show any scars of the right buttock, inner left arm, left knee, or left ankle. The Board finds no current disability to support a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher schedular evaluations under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board found no evidence of a right or left knee disorder in service and denied the claims. The residuals of a fractured sternum were also denied as there was no aggravation during service.