Scars Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's left elbow shell fragment wound residuals meet the criteria for a 10 percent rating.

The VA denied a compensable rating for the veteran's left upper lung pleural scarring, status post left upper lobe nodule biopsy.

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his service-connected left knee injury residuals, including scarring, is being remanded to the RO for additional development of medical records and an updated VA examination.

The veteran's service-connected right eye disability and chronic epididymitis were evaluated as noncompensable. The Board denied the claims for initial compensable evaluations.

The veteran's claims for increased hearing loss and service connection for apical lung scarring or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher disability rating for hearing loss, and there was insufficient medical evidence to establish service connection for the claimed conditions.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected disabilities were denied. The RO granted a total evaluation based on individual unemployability effective April 14, 2003.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for scars, residuals of a gunshot wound to the right chest, finding that the veteran's tender scars warrant such an evaluation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining all outstanding VA records.

The Board found that the veteran's right thigh scar did not meet the criteria for an increased rating under the new VA rating criteria effective August 30, 2002. The preponderance of evidence was against a finding of limitation of motion or other impairment due to the scar.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied as the residuals of adamantinoma of the right mandible with injury of the facial nerve and muscles do not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and there is no compensable rating for the skin graft donor site scar of the left thigh.

The Board has remanded the case for further evaluation of the veteran's service-connected right leg conditions, including any new or worsening scars and muscle herniations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety, is reasonably attributable to service. The evidence supports a finding of in-service stressors leading to current psychiatric problems.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing at the RO in San Juan. The claims of service connection, disability rating for scars, and history of kidney stones are still pending.

The veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities he claims are related to his active military service, including radiation therapy for Hodgkin's disease. The appeal involves issues regarding the reopening of a claim and the establishment of service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability.,The appellant did not meet the criteria for non-service-connected death pension benefits due to her spouse's service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a broken jaw and facial scars, finding no evidence of current disabilities or in-service injuries that would support these claims.

The VA denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for multiple residual burn scars of both feet, finding that the residuals are moderately severe but not severe enough to warrant a higher rating.

The veteran's vision in both eyes is not less than 5/200 and he does not have concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less; he is not a patient in a nursing home because of incapacity; and he has not established a factual need for aid and attendance. Therefore, the requirements for special monthly pension based upon the need for regular aid and attendance of another person have not been met.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that his service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected status post inguinal hernia repair to include residual scar is manifested by an 8 cm tender scar and does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.