Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disorders, low back disorder, and scars have been remanded due to substantial worsening of symptoms. Additional examinations are needed to determine the current extent and severity of these disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient information provided by a VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's skin cancers. The AOJ is instructed to obtain a new opinion from a dermatologist addressing the relationship between the Veteran's in-service sun exposure and his skin cancer, as well as any contribution from herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded several issues for additional development, including the rating of ED/impotence and peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities. The claim for a higher rating for residual scars is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee disability and surgical scars are being remanded due to the need for a DRO hearing.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to November 5, 2008 due to his service-connected umbilical hernia and left and right herniorrhaphy scars preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from December 1, 2007 to January 10, 2012 for the purposes of accrued benefits. The claim for TDIU prior to August 30, 2005 on an extraschedular basis was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of recent Fort Bragg medical records and for additional VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, left ankle disability, scars (left ankle), and tinnitus as the evidence did not establish that these conditions began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,While the Veteran reported symptoms of each condition since service, the medical records do not support a nexus between his current diagnoses and service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations. The Veteran's surgical scars of the left knee are not manifest by an area or areas of 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.) or greater and do not result in any disabling effects.,The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, other than persistent somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain, is secondary to his service-connected residuals, left knee strain. The issue has been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for a scar of the left elbow, service connection for bilateral pes planus, and service connection for his knee disabilities are being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with prior Board instructions. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed for the claims of PTSD, broken right hand, left knee injury, TBI, and scar on the back of the head. The Veteran will need to provide updated VA treatment records and undergo examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected PTSD, assess whether any diagnosed right-hand disabilities are related to his service-connected PTSD, evaluate the etiology of any left knee conditions, clarify whether the Veteran has a TBI, and determine if there is a scar on the back of his head. The claims will be remanded for these actions.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to incomplete records and issues with the evaluation of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for higher staged ratings for painful thoracotomy scars is denied as the evidence does not support a finding of functional impairment equivalent to 3 or 4 unstable or painful scars before July 6, 2022, or 5 or more unstable or painful scars from that date.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided are inadequate, as they did not distinguish between service-connected symptoms and nonservice-connected post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS). Therefore, another remand is required to obtain an addendum opinion from the examiner.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional medical evidence and VA examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected left knee disability, including a scar. The TDIU claim will be further developed in conjunction with an examination to assess the impact of these disabilities on employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, gynecomastia, and scarring status post gynecomastia has been reopened. Service connection is granted for the latter two conditions but denied for the former. The case is remanded to determine if the Veteran's migraines are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis C and increased ratings for PTSD, multiple traumas to left hand, dermatitis, and a scar are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claim of entitlement to a total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's residuals of coccidioidomycosis, including residuals of surgical resection of the left lower lobe of the lung, are granted a 50% disability rating. The three small scars on his chest are rated as non-compensable.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's eye disabilities, the etiology of her visual field defects and headaches, and whether she is entitled to a compensable rating prior to February 21, 2018, and in excess of 30 percent thereafter for iritis of the right eye, chorioretinal scar of the right eye, and angle closure glaucoma, to include bilateral dry eye syndrome.