Scars Board decisions

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for head injury, head scar, low back disability, and acquired psychiatric disability due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial in June 2013. The claims are being reopened but not decided on their merits.

The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for his back disability has been withdrawn.,The claims for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and lumbar radiculopathy have been dismissed as moot due to the maximum schedular ratings being assigned.,The Veteran was granted compensable disability ratings (20%) for scars on both hands, effective February 15, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings, finding that the earliest date of reinstatement was January 31, 2012, which is not applicable to his August 29, 2018 claim.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, rotator cuff tendonitis of the right shoulder, painful surgical scars of the right lower extremity, residual scar of the right lower extremity, right ankle status post-surgery, circadian rhythm sleep disorder, and right inguinal hernia. The issues are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to an inadequate VA examination. The Veteran is seeking increased ratings for his service-connected eye disabilities, including anatomical loss of the left eye with prosthesis and right eye general contraction of the visual field with chorioretinal scarring of the right peripheral retina.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus, left and right ankle sprains, tinnitus, left knee degenerative arthritis, painful scars of the ankles, and right knee degenerative arthritis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. As a result, he is granted total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining any form of gainful employment for the entire period on appeal, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral ear hearing loss has been reopened, but the appeal is still pending as some issues are remanded.,Service connection for left knee DJD status post TKR and a 10% rating for right knee scar have been granted. The remaining claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric condition to include PTSD, depression, anxiety, and/or trauma and stressor related disorder remain pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been granted. Effective dates are set based on the earliest date of claim or entitlement, with some adjustments due to filing patterns.

The Veteran's herpes simplex keratitis with corneal scarring of the right eye is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

Service connection is granted for residuals of a nose injury with resulting deformity, status post deviated septum, to include nasal valve collapse, deviated septum, and hypertrophy of nasal turbinates. The appeals for service connection for chronic rhinitis and scar on bridge of nose are remanded.

The Veteran's right ankle scar and DJD were evaluated, with the scar rated at 0 percent and the DJD rated at 10 percent. The Board denied a higher rating for both conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for breast cancer, residuals of lymphadenectomy, breast scarring, and left axilla scar have been granted.,A rating higher than 10 percent for scars resulting from colon resection has been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left foot condition, right foot condition, left ankle condition, and right ankle condition due to new evidence of worsening symptoms. The Veteran's claim for residuals of left testicular surgery is also being remanded.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric condition (major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder) due to outstanding private treatment records and unverified in-service stressor. The Veteran's claim for residuals of left testicular surgery is also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his inguinal hernia and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and referral to the Director of Compensation Service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings was withdrawn by the Veteran during a Board hearing.,The Veteran's left thigh disability is now rated at 10 percent, effective from July 17, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to assess the Veteran's ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities prior to January 29, 2020.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for his service-connected left ring finger disability and right knee scar, finding that there is no basis for a compensable rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for boils and scars on his back and left shoulder because there is no competent evidence of a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was withdrawn by the appellant.,A 10 percent evaluation is granted for the residual scar of the left medial lower lip, and no higher.