Scars Board decisions

The veteran's service-connected incomplete paralysis of the VII cranial nerve contributed to his death from aspiration pneumonia, which was caused by acute myocardial infarction. The appellant is eligible for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder impingement syndrome, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine were denied. The claim for PTSD was also denied.,Service connection could not be established as there is no evidence of a relationship between in-service injuries and current disabilities.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for a scar as a residual of his left foot injury, currently rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of her service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development and compliance with notification requirements.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for myopia, bilateral peripheral retinal lattice degeneration, and old scar hole of the inferior retina, right eye, as well as hearing loss. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active duty.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a corneal scar with decreased vision in the left eye, currently rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated as noncompensable under the revised criteria for Diagnostic Code 7805. The Board finds no limitation of motion due to scars in either knee, and thus a compensable rating is not warranted.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation which is sedentary in nature. Therefore, the claim for TDIU is denied.

The veteran's appeal was denied for increased rating and service connection. The RO confirmed the current 40% rating for his right knee disorder, but denied service connection for cervical strain and multiple other conditions.

The Board has granted an increased disability rating of 80 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of fracture, head of the left femur, with avascular necrosis, post-traumatic arthritis, and post-operative healed residual scars.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU based on his service-connected scars of the left hemithorax and buttocks, finding that these conditions did not warrant a higher rating or meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional medical records and determine if the veteran was exposed to herbicides during service. The claims for service connection will be adjudicated based on the evidence of record.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial disability rating greater than 10 percent for scars of the frontal region of the head, face, and nose and scar over the right lower quadrant.

The Board has denied all service connection claims for various conditions, finding that the evidence does not support a causal link between any of these conditions and active military service.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further examination and consideration of service connection for photophobia, which was not addressed by the RO.

The Board has granted initial noncompensable evaluations for the service-connected superficial peroneal nerve neuropathy of the left lower extremity and a scar, anterior upper third aspect of the left lower extremity. The claim for a compensable evaluation based on multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 is dismissed as moot.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including arthritis, leg disability, low back disability, anemia, menstrual disorder, lip scars, and PTSD, were denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and her military service.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected bilateral claw toes with scarring, effective from the date of the May 2002 rating decision.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination of his service-connected right ring and little finger scars with ulnar nerve injury, as the last examination was conducted over three years ago. The case will be returned to the Board after the examination.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not warrant a compensable rating, and his shrapnel wound scars were also denied as they do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.