Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's scar, post right inguinal hernia surgical repair is granted a 20 percent rating.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for a skin condition (chloracne and/or dermatitis) as secondary to herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for acute renal failure (kidney condition) as due to an enlarged prostate and/or herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis as due to herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for total right knee replacement, to include as due to rheumatoid arthritis and/or herbicide exposure is remanded.,Service connection for depression with sleep disturbance, to include as secondary to rheumatoid arthritis is remanded.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, depressive disorder, is granted as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.,An effective date of August 28, 2010 for a 30 percent rating for right knee disability (including instability, surgical scarring, and limitation of flexion) is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected recurrent pneumonia with lung scarring has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to the combined effects of his service-connected disability and other non-service-connected respiratory conditions.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of July 12, 2016 for the Veteran's service connection claims for bladder cancer, a cystectomy painful scar, and a cystectomy scar. These conditions are presumed to be related to exposure to Agent Orange during service in Thailand.

The Board has remanded the claims for erectile dysfunction, left testicular contusion, and painful penile and left testicle scars due to a duty to assist error. Specifically, VA is required to obtain relevant treatment records from the Veteran's urologist and provide an addendum opinion regarding potential infertility issues. Additionally, another VA examination is needed to assess the severity of the service-connected traumatic brain injury and residuals of a left tibia and fibula fracture.

The Veteran's increased rating and compensable rating claims for hallux rigidus left great toe and scar of left great toe have both been denied by the Board.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for PTSD, hypertension, prostate cancer residuals, and a surgical scar status post-prostatectomy was denied. The initial rating for PTSD remains at 50 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and prostatectomy scars have been granted with effective dates of September 13, 2019.,SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ has also been granted with the same effective date.

The Veteran's scar on his right index finger did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7802, as it was less than 144 square inches in area and not associated with underlying soft tissue damage. Therefore, his claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss. The case is being remanded to address the issue of service connection for Atelectasis scarring of lung.,Service connection for tinnitus was established based on in-service noise exposure and continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, including sedentary employment. The Board grants a TDIU based on the combined evaluation of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's left shoulder scars are rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied an increased rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant as they do not result in anatomical loss, blindness, or significant functional impairment that would qualify under the applicable regulations.

The Veteran's disability ratings for cervical spine IVDS, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy were restored to their previous levels.,An increased disability rating of 40% was granted for degenerative arthritis and disc disease of the lumbar spine from January 10, 2023.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and right face laceration scarring have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, leading to a grant of individual unemployability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for groin scarring as there is no current evidence of a diagnosed groin scarring disability.

The Board has determined that the VA's duty to assist claimants in obtaining relevant records was not met prior to the August 2022 decision on appeal. The claims for increased ratings are being remanded to allow for additional development.

The Veteran's partial hysterectomy is remanded for further evaluation.,Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for scar, right great toe status-post bunionectomy is denied.,Entitlement to an initial compensable rating for ingrown toenails is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for a left thigh scar is being remanded and referred to VA's Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to the severity and symptomatology of his condition.