Scars Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all the listed conditions before a decision was made.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left knee arthropathy and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's right knee disorders, including painful motion and scars, are rated at the minimum compensable level. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's left hand scar post tendon repair is rated as non-compensable due to its small size and lack of instability or pain.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of right wrist ganglion cyst and secondary service connection for a right wrist scar as related to the residual ganglion cyst. The Veteran's conditions are deemed to be directly related to her military service.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of August 27, 2015 for service connection and an increased disability rating for the Veteran's left inguinal surgical scar with underlying tissue damage and pain and instability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 0 percent, as the evidence does not show that his hearing acuity has worsened since a prior examination in January 2023.,For migraine headaches, the Veteran was found to have characteristic prostrating attacks averaging once per month over the last several months, warranting a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a cervical spine disorder is dismissed. The VA has already granted this benefit in an earlier decision, and the issue is moot.

The Board has restored service connection for ventral hernia and hernia repair scar, effective from September 1, 2020 to May 20, 2024.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for scars on the right cheek was dismissed due to an error in docketing, as it was improperly placed at the Board while a higher-level review request was pending.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the reduction of his disability rating from 60 percent to 10 percent for eczematoid dermatitis was dismissed because he withdrew the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims have been remanded due to the need for further development.,No new or material evidence has been submitted, and the issues remain unresolved.

The Veteran's VA treatment records show that he required regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including chronic valley fever fungus residuals, PTSD with associated mood/affective disorder, sleep apnea, and multiple peripheral neuropathies. The Board granted the claim for an earlier effective date of April 11, 2023, for the award of SMC based on aid and attendance.

The Veteran's right elbow lateral epicondylitis, chronic rhinitis, right knee strain (limitation of flexion), painful scar from hernia repair, hypertension, lumbar spine disorder, right lower extremity hypoesthesia and paresthesia, left lower extremity hypoesthesia and paresthesia, left knee disorder, and migraine including variants are all granted. The Veteran's service connection for these conditions is established based on direct evidence or presumptive exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for a right foot condition and a scar on the right foot, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded several issues for further evaluation, including right ankle traumatic arthritis, left foot fibromatosis, both right and left foot hypertrophic scars, migraine headaches, lumbosacral strain, and chronic cough.

The Board has granted service connection for a right elbow scar associated with right ulnar nerve entrapment. The claim for an increased rating for right ulnar nerve entrapment prior to April 19, 2022 is remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's bilateral knee scars were not found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations.,The Veteran's left and right knee patellar or quadriceps tendon rupture with knee joint osteoarthritis disability did not result in leg flexion limited to 30 degrees or compensable limitation of extension, or ankylosis, or impairment of the tibia or fibula.

The Veteran's service connection claims for TBI and migraines are denied, while the scar of the left cheek is granted. The remaining conditions (lumbosacral strain, right knee strain, and hypertension) do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has denied requests for earlier effective dates and compensable ratings for various service-connected conditions, but granted a TDIU from September 10, 2003.