Scars Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA skin examination and consideration of both old and new rating criteria.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his medical records and a determination on whether he is permanently disabled to the extent that he qualifies for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35 of title 38 of the United States Code.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for his scar, left lower quadrant and an increased rating for his bronchial asthma.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his disfiguring scars of the lips and nose, other scars on the right cheek and eyebrows, deformity of the nose with obstruction of the right naris, sensory and motor loss of the superior lip area, or depression.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 40 percent for the veteran's duodenal ulcer, with postoperative residuals of a gastrectomy, removal of a benign gastric polyp, chronic gastritis, and a healed scar from November 10, 1999. The previous rating of 20 percent was maintained prior to that date.

The veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected right lung cancer and residual scar from lobectomy are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 are being remanded due to incomplete VCAA notice, need for a VA examination, and retrieval of relevant medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected hearing loss, scar from gastrectomy, subtotal gastrectomy with chronic cholecystitis and calculi removal by cholecystotomy complicated by subhepatic abscess and chronic peritoneal adhesions of the liver, gallbladder and duodenum, with gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), and diplopia.

The Board has determined that the veteran's scar does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent, effective July 28, 2005.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as there was no objective neurological findings to support a higher rating for bilateral cubital tunnel release, and the VA examination scheduled in 2005 was not conducted due to the veteran's failure to report. The other skin conditions did not meet the criteria for compensable ratings under the current rating criteria.

The Board found that the veteran's right knee disorder did not have its onset in service or is otherwise etiologically related to his active service. The left foot scar was also deemed asymptomatic and without functional impairment, thus denying both claims for service connection and increased rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left upper arm muscle injury residuals and left upper arm scar do not warrant a disability rating greater than 10 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU and his increased rating for headaches. The case is being remanded to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case on the increased rating for headaches.

The veteran is granted an effective date of July 31, 1998 for the initial 10 percent rating assigned for his gunshot wound entry scar.

The veteran's claim for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance was denied as he does not meet the criteria due to remaining function in his left hand, which is better than if he had an amputation stump with a prosthesis.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for a scar associated with the post-operative ventral hernia, finding that the evidence did not support a compensable rating under either the old or new criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss, finding that the veteran's in-service treatment for burns could have caused his current hearing loss. The compensable evaluations for scars of the right arm and hand and right leg were denied.

The Board found that the October 1963 rating decision was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous in assigning a 10 percent disability rating for facial scars.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective date determinations in various issues related to his service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's left eye disorder, including amblyopia lazy eye with exotropia and poor vision, was present prior to service and not aggravated by service. The corneal scars on both eyes did not cause any loss of vision and are not related to service. The macular scar in the left eye is also not related to service.