Scars Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 11, 1995, for a 10 percent disability evaluation for residual scar with incisional hernia.

The Board finds no evidence of a current right shoulder or arm disability, and the veteran's service-connected residuals from his mastectomy do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not service-connected, with no evidence of exposure to ionizing radiation during his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to assess the severity of the service-connected laceration scar residuals of the right elbow and to determine if there is any additional range of motion loss due to pain or flare-ups.

The veteran's right thoracotomy scar is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, and his restrictive pulmonary disease has not been found to meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA schedular guidelines.

The Board has determined that the veteran's scar, left of anus, does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent under either the old or new VA Rating Schedule. Therefore, the claim for an increased evaluation is denied.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected scar on the left patella, lower thigh area warrants a 10 percent disability rating and denied his claim for an increased evaluation.

The Board has denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of headaches and has denied his request for an earlier effective date for the grant of a 10% evaluation for shell fragment wound scars. The initial disability rating for PTSD remains at 30%.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied a higher initial evaluation for the veteran's service-connected left trapezius muscle scar, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right tibia with ankylosis of the ankle, atrophy of the right thigh, mandible fracture residuals, healed rib fracture, facial scars, and chest scar, are currently rated as 60 percent disabling. The Board denied increased ratings for all service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claim due to a need for further examination and consideration of new evidence, including recent x-rays showing retained metal fragments in his right forearm and calves. The veteran is seeking an increased evaluation for his service-connected shell fragment wounds.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection, but denied them on their merits as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease that would support a finding of service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's vision loss disability, corneal scar, optic nerve head drusen, and visual field constriction are not related to his active duty service.

The veteran's request for a Board hearing has been transferred to the Los Angeles Regional Office, and he is scheduled for a hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The veteran's claim for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance, or adaptive equipment, is denied as he does not have a qualifying service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for alopecia, and as a result, service connection is granted.

The RO granted a compensable (10 percent) evaluation for the scar on the bridge of the nose, but denied increased evaluations for the scars on the left eyebrow and for the postoperative residuals of excision of an odontogenic cyst of the left maxilla.

The Board denied an increased disability evaluation for the veteran's service-connected skin disorders, finding that the evidence did not warrant a higher rating under either the old or new regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's increased rating claims for thoracic spine disc disease and a tender painful thoracic surgical scar, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under either the old or new VA rating schedules.