Scars Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left hip disabilities, as well as unspecified arthritis of the cervical, bilateral shoulder, and bilateral elbow joints. The issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since March 25, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and rating considerations due to incomplete information regarding the severity of his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings were denied. The effective date for the award of service connection for right upper and bilateral lower extremity scars was set at March 5, 2020, and for basal cell carcinoma of the head, neck, and face at January 17, 2008.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The effective date for TDIU benefits was set at January 1, 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for a scar related to head trauma, left knee condition, right-hand condition, low back condition, and TBI. The Veteran is also receiving an increased rating of 10 percent for his right knee limitation of flexion.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a residual scar of basal cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma was denied as there is no evidence linking the conditions to his in-service herbicide exposure or military service.

The Veteran's right eye disability is granted as the result of exposure to environmental hazards during his service in the Gulf War. The left ankle scar and left ear hearing loss are denied.

The Veteran seeks compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of a scar on the chin, which he claims is due to the VA's cancelling his appointment and inability to treat his disorder in a continuous fashion. The Board has remanded this claim due to lack of substantial compliance with previous directives.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, residuals of a radical tonsillectomy, and scar status post thoracotomy as there is no evidence that these conditions began during or are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for appendectomy residual scar was denied, and the right knee disorder issue is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his severe peripheral neuropathy and vascular disease affecting his lower extremities, have resulted in a loss of use of both lower extremities. The Board has determined that the Veteran is eligible for specially adapted housing due to these conditions but not for special home adaptation or adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's neck scar is rated at 10 percent, but a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of characteristics of disfigurement. The Veteran has been found to have painful scars warranting a separate 10 percent rating.,Service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the left and right knees are remanded as there may be an intermediate step in causing or aggravating these conditions due to obesity.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected left leg and right shoulder disabilities, including range of motion testing in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing circumstances.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and whether his service-connected conditions contributed to it.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected scar, shell fragment wound, right temporal noes. The earlier effective date claim for PTSD remains denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic insomnia and lymphedema affecting both lower extremities, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to March 15, 2017. Effective from that date, the Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the loss of use of both lower extremities, requiring him to use a wheelchair and motorized scooter for locomotion. The Board granted financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to his permanent and total disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for follicular infection on the head and chest. The claims for service connection for other conditions are remanded due to lack of evidence showing an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's cyst on the back, diagnosed as a benign lipoma, is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his active duty service.,The Veteran's heart disability, consisting of mild aortic calcification and mitral valve incompetence, is also not service-connected because there is no medical evidence showing its onset during or related to his military service.