Scars Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including non-allergic rhinitis and an acquired psychiatric disorder, and remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board granted a 70 percent disability rating for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and restored the 10 percent disability rating for service-connected painful residuals of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, right clavicular area, and right thigh skin graft scar. Other claims were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and denied increased ratings for various disabilities, except for an initial 10% rating for neuropathy of the peroneal nerve in the right lower extremity.

The appeal for service connection of multiple conditions has been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including back, knee, and foot conditions, prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for a right-hand condition, anxiety, and migraine (headaches) and assigned noncompensable ratings for the Veteran's left hand disability. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a right elbow condition, right shoulder condition, burn scar(s), low back condition, and TDIU were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to pre-decisional errors in not verifying periods of active duty, active duty for training, and inactive duty for training with various reserve units and in obtaining adequate medical examinations.

The Board denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent prior to September 18, 2019, and 20 percent from that date for laminectomy anterior fusion with discectomy/disc spacer with plate and screw fixation, discectomy at C4, C5 and C6. However, an initial rating of 30 percent was granted for a neck scar from June 10, 2020.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for colon cancer residuals with colon resection residuals, bowel disturbances, and GERD, and a separate 10 percent rating for GERD. The claim for a compensable rating for colon resection scar residuals was denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sinusitis is granted pursuant to the PACT Act. Other claims are remanded.

The veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection and increased ratings, resulting in the dismissal of all issues.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent rating for a single painful scar at the site of the Veteran's right inguinal hernia repair.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of March 20, 2018 for service connection for residuals of testicular cancer and left groin scars.

The Board granted service connection for a painful raised scar with flaking and fibrosis of the skin on the right posterior calf based on an in-service injury from stepping over concertina wire during a march.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support a compensable rating or service connection for any of the conditions appealed.

The Board granted the restoration of a 10 percent rating for chronic right orchialgia with right denervation, vasectomy, spermatocyte removal, and epididymectomy but denied a compensable rating for inguinal nerve suprapubic right lower quadrant scar and inguinal canal scar.

The Board denied various claims for increased ratings and service connection, including those for PTSD (with TBI), headaches, left elbow fracture with limitation of flexion, left elbow post-operative scar (painful), right 3rd finger fracture, bilateral hearing loss, left elbow scar, right ankle sprain to include right shin splint, erectile dysfunction, right hand disability, and low back disability.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and higher ratings, but granted a 20% rating for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the right and left lower extremities, as well as TDIU from March 30, 2011 to February 14, 2019.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right shoulder disability, granted service connection for sinusitis under the PACT Act, and remanded several issues including direct service connection for sinusitis.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, including residuals of fragment wounds left thigh and both buttocks with retained metallic fragments, right lower extremity scar, left lower extremity scars, painful fragment wound scars, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ischemic heart disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and hypertension.