Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The Veteran's bipolar disorder, hypertension, alveolar fracture of the jaw, deviated nasal septum with scar, and diabetes mellitus are all found to have been caused by or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left shoulder disorder and a scar on his nose bridge due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for her right hip arthroplasty scars have been denied. The current rating of 10 percent is maintained for the scars, and a noncompensable rating remains for the initial scar rating.,The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on deep or underlying soft tissue damage, pain affecting motion, or other compensable effects.

The Board has remanded the restoration of service connection claims for cervical spine arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis, bilateral shoulder arthritis, right thumb arthritis, and scar formation due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's conditions may be related to his pre-existing polyarthralgia or osteoarthritis.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU from June 9, 2009, finding that his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the remaining issues of entitlement to increased ratings for posterior trunk scar, bilateral lower extremities burn scars, muscle damage, and nerve damage due to service-connected posterior trunk scar.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been reopened, and both conditions are now granted. The appeal is also granted for the evaluation of left shoulder tendonitis and left clavicle spur, lumbar spondylosis and osteophytosis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), uterine fibroids, migraines, hypertension, residual scar from ventral hernia repair, anxiety, memory loss, sleep disturbances, knee disorder, and fibromyalgia. The appeal is remanded for further evaluations and determinations on these issues.

Service connection for a scar over the right eyebrow is granted.,Service connection for an ingrown toenail on the right big toe, to include residuals thereof, is denied.

The Veteran's scars of the left middle and ring fingers have not been shown to be painful or unstable, thus not meeting the criteria for a compensable rating.,The Veteran's residuals of left middle and ring finger trauma (non-dominant) has manifested by unfavorable ankylosis of the long and ring fingers, warranting a 20 percent rating under DC 5219.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of right elbow scar, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied. The decision also noted that the Veteran did not submit new and material evidence to reopen his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip, right hip, and bilateral keratoconus were denied. The initial compensable rating for residual scars status post hernia repair and colon resection was denied, as well as the increased rating for residual painful scar status post hernia repair and colon resection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, adjustment disorder with anxiety, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and other conditions were denied. The Veteran was granted a separate 20 percent rating for her right knee meniscal tear from September 25, 2019. Other increased ratings were also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding her left foot condition and right foot conditions, as well as a lack of updated VA treatment records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for her left foot condition and scar, which she contends are related to her right foot condition.

The Veteran's asbestosis with residual mild restrictive lung disease and left lateral mid back and left flank scars have not met the criteria for a higher disability rating. The case is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 25, 2009.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding earlier effective dates and increased ratings for pancreatic necrosis and surgical scars, so the cases are dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, so his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was denied.

The Veteran's claims for astigmatism, left shin splint, right shin splint, recurrent right hamstring strain, umbilical keloid scar, and hidradenitis suppurativa have all been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection in each case.,Service connection was denied because the Veteran's astigmatism is a congenital defect, not an injury or disease incurred during service. Her left shin splint, right shin splint, and recurrent right hamstring strain were not shown to be related to service. The umbilical keloid scar preexisted service and did not worsen during service. Hidradenitis suppurativa is a post-service condition unrelated to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating of his service-connected right knee scar, and the Board dismissed the claim.