Scars Board decisions

The Veteran is entitled to special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his mental incapacity requiring assistance on a regular basis to protect him from hazards or dangers incident to his daily environment.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and SSA records, scheduling a VA examination, and considering the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for her service-connected conditions or establish service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The appellant's appeal for an increased evaluation for shell fragment wound scars of the forehead and right arm with retained metallic fragments, currently rated as 10 percent disabling, was dismissed because he withdrew his appeal. The only remaining issue is whether there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the original rating action in May 1952 which granted service connection for and assigned a 10 percent rating for shell fragment wound scars of the forehead and right arm with retained metallic fragments.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an umbilical scar and cervical dysplasia were denied. The claim for increased rating for migraine headaches was granted with a 10% initial rating effective August 19, 2004.

The Veteran's right lower extremity disabilities, including muscle injuries and degenerative joint disease of the knee, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has determined that he meets the criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of his impotence and evaluating his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected scar of the right thigh is manifested by intermittent pain, which warrants a 10 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's current right leg disorder, manifested by residual scarring and muscle atrophy, is considered service-connected as it is related to the in-service treatment for a staph infection of the right leg. The Board found that no other pathology of the right leg was shown to be associated with the service treatment.

The Veteran is entitled to the services outlined in his Individual Independent Living Plan (IILP) for the period from July 27, 2005 to August 1, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for PTSD and a shell fragment wound to the left shoulder with scar and residual posttraumatic degenerative arthrosis was denied. The initial rating of 10 percent for the shell fragment wound is upheld.

The appellant has withdrawn his appeals for the evaluation of left arm wound, residual scar on right leg, service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and service connection for skin cancer. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional private medical records and for further development.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by or substantially contributed to by his service-connected disabilities. The Board finds that the lung cancer, which is listed as the immediate cause of death, did not arise during his military service and there is no evidence linking it to any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC under section 1318 as his total disability rating was not sustained for at least ten years prior to his death.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's keloidal scars of the chest have been found to exceed 12 square inches, warranting a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that any claimed conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service, including as due to an undiagnosed illness.