Scars Board decisions

The claims of service connection for an abnormal growth on the back of the head and appendectomy scar have been dismissed as withdrawn by the Veteran.,The claim of service connection for a TBI has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current TBI is related to his in-service motor vehicle accident (MVA).,The claims of service connection for left knee disability and right knee disability have been denied. The evidence does not support finding that these conditions began during service or are otherwise related to an injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education, training, and work history.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.,The Veteran is currently rated at 30 percent for his operative scar, but a higher rating may be warranted based on further examination.

The Board has withdrawn the appeals for earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for a left wrist ganglion cyst and for the grant of service connection for a left wrist scar.,The claims for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back and ankle conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from October 22, 2010 to March 8, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for asthma, migraines, a deviated septum (claimed as broken nose), and scars. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and his period of active duty.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable evaluation prior to February 6, 2019 was denied. However, the Board granted a 20 percent evaluation from that date onwards.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his cervical spine and knee injuries, are found to have contributed substantially or materially to cause the Veteran's death. As a result, DIC benefits based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death are granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment since the time of his September 5, 2017 TDIU claim and through November 30, 2021, when a 100 percent schedular rating is assigned.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, residuals of a discectomy scar, and neurological disability of the left upper extremity (claimed as left cubital tunnel syndrome).,There is no evidence to support that any of these conditions are related to active duty service.,The Veteran's cervical spine condition was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes is found to be the primary cause of his diagnosed conditions, including asthma, erectile dysfunction (ED), hypertension, bilateral diabetic retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy in multiple extremities, and a left eye scar. The Board has granted increased ratings for these conditions based on their secondary relationship to diabetes.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA-accessible treatment records and additional development is needed.

The Veteran's neck scars are rated at 30 percent, but no higher. The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's small punctuate scarring of the posterior neck with linear colloid revision scar and infectious abscess.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Hepatitis C claim is inextricably intertwined with his claims for liver disease and transplant, scar from liver transplant, and diabetes mellitus. The issues are therefore remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his major depressive disorder and knee conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 20, 2012. The Board granted the TDIU claim effective from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 11, 2014. Therefore, an extraschedular TDIU is granted from August 11, 2014 to September 1, 2022.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and rating consideration. The Veteran's appeal of service connection for a head injury was withdrawn, and the maximum schedular disability rating for his left knee replacement is maintained. Issues regarding increased ratings for right knee disability, shortening of the left leg, right shoulder recurrent dislocation, and facial scars are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased ratings for postoperative residuals of a left inguinal hernia and associated scars due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for a right ankle scar is granted as of June 18, 2018. The scar was present since his 2012 achilles tendon repair surgery.

The Board has granted service connection for hypothyroidism and denied service connection for vertigo, cysts and painful scar, and skin rash on the buttocks. The Veteran's current hypothyroidism is related to his military service.