Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability, or causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for service-connected constrictive bronchiolitis and leishmaniasis, residual scars of left arm, thorax, and left hip (scars) are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining updated VA treatment records and an examination.

The Veteran's appeal for bilateral inguinal hernia repair was dismissed as the Veteran explicitly requested withdrawal.,The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus was also dismissed as the Veteran and his representative withdrew the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines, including migraine variants and tension headaches, was denied as the evidence did not establish a direct relationship to his service-connected PTSD with MDD.,Claims for increased ratings for scars on both knees were also denied due to lack of evidence showing they meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his service-connected disabilities, including right leg varicose veins, PTSD, left knee meniscal tear, and postoperative left knee scar.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to June 9, 2013 for service-connected coronary artery disease and scar, status post coronary artery bypass graft. The decision states that the earliest effective dates were one year after the initial claim was received.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons or bases in the decision, and additional development is needed. The Veteran should be provided another opportunity to submit a completed VA Form 21-8940 and updated treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to an insufficient examination that did not adequately account for the Veteran's reports of right leg pain causing him to adjust his walking, which placed pressure on his hip. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a right thigh injury other than the service-connected soft tissue defect.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings is being remanded to obtain additional examinations and evaluations regarding his cervical spine disability, including any associated neurological conditions.,Separate ratings are also needed for any associated bilateral lower extremity (BLE) neurological disorder secondary to the service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been withdrawn. The Board finds that the reduction of his disability rating from 30 percent to 10 percent was improper, and restored the original 30 percent evaluation.,The Veteran has been granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer, both presumed due to herbicide exposure in Thailand.

The Veteran's appeal for increased evaluations and service connection for his heart disability, including a painful surgical scar of the anterior trunk, is remanded due to inconsistencies in medical records and ambiguities regarding the number and nature of scars.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and asbestosis have been denied due to the lack of current diagnoses.,Service connection has been granted for a scar on the chin associated with a traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hemorrhoids, left great toe numbness, benign prostatic hyperplasia, right hand scar residuals, and others, have been denied. The appeals are based on the absence of current disabilities or evidence supporting the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for disfiguring right shoulder scars and a rating in excess of 10 percent for painful right shoulder scar are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence since the last SSOC.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to April 19, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for a residual scar on his left axilla area and left upper extremity ulnar and median nerve neuropathy are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his left finger scar alone did not render him unemployable at any point during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU prior to February 29, 2016. The Board referred the issue of entitlement to a TDIU to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted with effective dates of August 14, 2013. The conditions are related to his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran was granted an extraschedular TDIU from November 9, 2012 to December 13, 2012 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.