Scars Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a temporary total rating were denied. The Veteran was granted a one-month temporary total rating for convalescence, but his claims for higher ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and scar status post spinal fusion remain denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for thrombocytopenia was granted in June 2020. The Veteran's migraine headaches were caused by exposure to jet fuel as well as his service-connected thrombocytopenia. A 10 percent disability rating for right knee painful scar from April 25, 2014, forward is granted.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for the lumbar spine disability prior to April 28, 2015 and granted a TDIU from February 1, 2010 onwards. The decision also noted that the Veteran's combined rating was at or above 70% throughout the appeal period.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and rating related to diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, and lymph gland infection residuals with scar. The appeals were dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues on appeal, including a new VA examination to evaluate the current level of severity of the service-connected disabilities. The remanded issues include evaluations for painful scars and scar tissue damage associated with ganglion cysts in the Veteran's right wrist.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lumbar spine, cervical spine, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The right knee increased rating claim is also being remanded.,The Veteran's TDIU request is inextricably intertwined with these other claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a scar of the left eyelid, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing condition worsened during service and was aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for excision atypical nevus of right heel, finding that her condition is not related to military service.

The Veteran's post-pilonidal cystectomy scar is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under current VA regulations.,Right knee osteoarthritis has been rated at 10 percent for limitation of flexion and a compensable rating (20%) for limitation of extension. The Veteran also received a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae, chronic sinusitis, and tinnitus have been granted. The claim of service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy has also been granted as secondary to the service-connected bilateral hip stress fractures.

The Board denied restoration of the 20% rating for right forearm traumatic scars from July 1, 2018, as the condition did not demonstrate actual improvement and was not unstable.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for residual scar, status post left lower leg injury and reactive airway disease were denied as the Veteran failed to appear for scheduled VA examinations without providing good cause.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for painful and disfiguring right shoulder scars due to new evidence added to his file. The claims will be reviewed by the AOJ.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because he withdrew his appeal in an August 2022 written statement.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a shoulder disability as secondary to his service-connected back and radiculopathy of the lower extremities. The issues of increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, service connection for keloid scarring on face, and service connection for hands shaking, bilateral are all remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's abdominal disability and acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded for further development to determine if they were caused by VA treatment.

The Board has determined that procedural errors occurred in the handling of the Veteran's appeal and has ordered remand for further action.

The Veteran's scar, status post facial laceration is rated at 30 percent disabling since March 18, 2017. The Board denied an increased rating for this condition and remanded the issue of service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's use of chlorhexidine gluconate, an antiseptic skin cleanser, caused irreparable damage to his outer garments during the Year 2018. The Board granted a clothing allowance for this period.