Scars Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for clarification from a VA examiner regarding the nature and cause of the Veteran's left eye condition(s). Specifically, they need to determine if the Veteran had exotropia in his left eye or a scar on his left cornea during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for scars, status post surgery for lung cancer and COPD. The VA Regional Office needs to obtain a medical examination and provide further development.

The Board has granted a noncompensable rating for the surgical scar of the anterior left big toe and a 10 percent rating for the painful surgical scar of the same area, both effective October 31, 2018.

The Veteran's right wrist scar is rated at 10 percent, and no higher. The initial rating for his limitation of motion of the wrist remains at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to insufficient evidence or incomplete examinations. The Veteran is not entitled to an increased rating for his left knee scars, insomnia, or instability of the left knee. Service connection for chronic left shoulder pain and chronic left ankle pain remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and therefore the criteria for TDIU have not been met.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and upper torso scar have been granted service connection. The low back disorder, left knee disorder, and left foot/heel disorder are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine scar associated with cervical spondylosis is rated at 10 percent, the minimum compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7800 for scars of the head, face, or neck.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than December 7, 2017, for service connection for prostate cancer status post RALP was denied. The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his prostatectomy scars received on the same day (December 7, 2017) was granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as his PTSD alone already meets the criteria for a 100% schedular disability rating. The SMC claim is granted due to his service-connected disabilities meeting the requirements of 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Veteran's left knee disability claims are being remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to address the severity of his symptoms, including during flare-ups. The Veteran also has a separate claim for residuals of a quadriceps muscle tear which needs further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and a right knee condition, prevent him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection of a left eyebrow scar, right ear hearing loss disability, and low back disability due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including his scar claim, knee conditions, erectile dysfunction, and psychiatric disorder. The Veteran is also seeking service connection for a traumatic brain injury with headaches.

The Veteran's left knee impairment is granted as secondary to his right knee condition, effective March 31, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for OSA, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and a right forearm laceration scar have been granted. However, his claim for hypertension has not met the criteria for service connection.

The Board dismissed the issues of entitlement to a rating greater than 10 percent disabling for squamous cell carcinoma surgery residual scars, entitlement to a compensable rating for squamous cell carcinoma, right pyriform sinus, status post neck dissection, and entitlement to a compensable rating for lymph node carcinoma metastasis, status post radical neck dissection due to the Veteran not filing a timely substantive appeal.

The Veteran was granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from May 7, 2010, to March 31, 2013, due to the combined effects of service-connected disabilities preventing substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's initial rating for left ankle disorder and scar residual of pruritis subcutaneous nodules was denied. The case is remanded due to the need for further evaluation.

The Veteran's left knee disability is being remanded for a new examination to determine its current severity. The SMC claim is also being remanded as it may be impacted by the development of his left knee disability.