Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 are being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, requiring the provision of an adequate medical opinion regarding whether her current disabilities are related to VA care.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to May 31, 2019 for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected conditions not meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a separate 20 percent rating for residual painful scars from his service-connected inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus is granted, effective August 24, 2019. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for the inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus itself remains pending.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation at the intermediate rate between 38 U.S.C. § 1114 subsections (n) and (o) due to multiple service-connected disabilities independently rated at 50 percent or more.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been dismissed as the Veteran is satisfied with the current rating and effective date.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to initial compensable ratings for thyroidectomy surgical scar, hypothyroidism, and thyroid cancer residuals due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's medication effects on his hypothyroidism.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable evaluations for right knee scars and residuals of right knee injury post-operative arthroscopy, extension have been dismissed. The appeal for an increased rating for PTSD has also been dismissed.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of May 6, 2024 for the service connection of left cheek scar, PTSD, and headaches based on the Veteran's intent to file a claim.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae with scarring prior to February 7, 2025 is denied. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, kidney failure and urinary frequency, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, obstructive sleep apnea, and vertigo are all denied. There is no credible evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure basis.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to errors in the pre-decisional file, including a lack of earnings statements from SSA and missing vocational rehabilitation records. The AOJ will need to correct these issues before making a final determination.

The Veteran's gastro-esophageal adenocarcinoma and associated anterior and posterior trunk scars are granted service connection due to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension and other conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from April 14, 2021, until May 22, 2024. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability during this period.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in the May 2021 VA respiratory conditions examination, which did not include a pulmonary functions test (PFT) despite the Veteran's complaints of shortness of breath.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable initial rating and effective dates for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional VA treatment records from Denver, Colorado, and private treatment records that have been scanned into VistA Imaging.

The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and found that the Veteran's left knee scar is not compensable. The decision supports the opinion from a private physician who concluded that the OSA was secondary to his service-connected GERD and psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to outstanding medical records for his service-connected conditions and new claims.

The Veteran's skin cancer residual scars are not rated as compensable, and no higher rating is warranted based on the current evidence of record.

The Veteran has withdrawn all of her pending appeals, including those for PTSD rating and service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee scar, and hearing loss.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for scarring status-post squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) due to the scar not being painful or unstable, and did not display any characteristics of disfigurement. The Veteran's service-connected condition was rated under a direct service connection theory.