Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed. The Board has also identified several issues that require further examination and consideration, including service connection for hypertension.,The Veteran was granted service connection for amputation of the left little toe and left little toe amputation scar on August 8, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for scars, hypertension, and GERD are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and bilateral heel scars are granted service connection. Service connection for residuals of mononucleosis is denied.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension is granted as it is presumed due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act.,The effective date of service connection for CAD is set at March 1, 2017. The earlier effective dates for prostate cancer and its residuals (ED with SMC and a prostatectomy scar) are also granted based on the liberalizing law that added these conditions to presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's claim for ED is granted as secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer, with an effective date of March 1, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to January 12, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a headache disorder, claimed as migraine headaches, and an initial rating higher than 30 percent for his surgical scar, status post excision of left fronto-temporal dermoid cyst.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records.,The Board has denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a painful scar of the right forearm, as the evidence does not show underlying soft tissue damage or other disabling effects.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her in need of regular aid and attendance, resulting in the grant of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on this need. The issue of SMC based on housebound status is moot due to the grant of SMC for aid and attendance.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits, finding that entitlement to these benefits was not established prior to April 16, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including psychiatric disability, migraines, left shoulder and right shoulder disabilities, lumbar spine disability, tinnitus, hypertension, left knee disability, right foot disability, and right leg scar, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's facial scars, residuals of pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), are granted a 30 percent disability rating. However, the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and right hand little finger scar was denied. The Board found that the severity of the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD or 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, diabetes mellitus type II, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether his service-connected conditions preclude him from working.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his service connection claim for a right knee disorder was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,The Veteran's claim for a right tibia scar is not supported by the evidence, as there is no indication of an in-service injury related to the scar.

The Veteran's service-connected right posterior scalp scar and right scalp scar as a residual of basal cell carcinoma have been granted an initial 10 percent rating, effective prior to the dates noted.

The Board has determined that the claims of service connection for jaw condition, mouth scars, and lumbar spine disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's hypertension and generalized anxiety disorder are granted service connection based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange. His right hip joint replacement is granted a rating of 70 percent, which is the maximum allowed under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,An increased rating of 60 percent, but no higher, for coronary artery disease (CAD) from February 20, 2020, effective January 28, 2021, is granted. The Veteran's CAD has been rated as left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction between 30% and 50%, but not more than that.,The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for surgical scar, mid sternum is denied. His tinnitus claim also does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date of February 20, 2020.,An initial noncompensable rating for surgical scar, mid sternum is granted from February 20, 2020.

The Veteran's right ankle sprain disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating for limited motion of the ankle.,The Veteran's surgical scars of the right shoulder are not compensable as they do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches as secondary to bipolar disorder, but the issues of service connection for hepatitis C and liver scarring are remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives.