Scars Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's spontaneous pneumothorax resolved does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The issues of increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to new evidence or change in disability status.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment for the period from December 26, 2007, to January 4, 2010. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's hypertension is related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board finds service connection for hypertension granted due to the PACT Act presumption. Service connection for stroke and scar on the left side of face are remanded as there was a pre-decisional error regarding notification for VA examinations.

The Veteran's TDIU due to service-connected bilateral foot pes planus is granted, effective May 29, 2019. Additionally, the Veteran's SMC housebound based on her TDIU and other service-connected disabilities is also granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection for syncope as secondary to COPD due to inadequate medical opinions addressing causation, aggravation, and foreseeability.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination due to lack of recent VA treatment records, need for a new VA examination to assess current severity of service-connected conditions, and need for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's polymyalgia rheumatica is related to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded multiple issues for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for examinations to assess the current severity of various service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's claims are not about service connection via a presumption like PACT Act/Agent Orange/Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied service connection for left hand injury residuals, including arthritis and scar and metallic fragments, finding that the evidence did not support a direct link to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 2, 2016, finding that he was not working full-time and therefore did not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, left knee surgical scar, and cervical spine arthritis with spasms due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to missing STRs and inadequate VA opinions. The Veteran's in-service fall is considered credible, and he reports having headaches since then.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence supporting a finding that the Veteran's gastroenteritis caused or aggravated his appendicitis, which led to an appendectomy. The VA examiner is requested to provide additional opinions on these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment from at least July 31, 2019, such that entitlement to a TDIU is warranted from that date. The AOJ did not substantially comply with the Board's April 2022 remand directives and another remand is required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a left facial injury, including his associated left eye disability, are not related to active service. His current left eye disability and left facial scar do not have an etiological link to his military service.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU for the entire period prior to December 17, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities making it at least as likely as not that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for LEFT shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis with AC joint osteoarthritis, LEFT ring finger limitation of motion, and a LEFT wrist scar have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for an initial rating greater than 0 percent for a RIGHT chest scar (status post cyst removal), secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction, and service connection for insomnia / sleep disorder have been granted.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD with associated anxiety has been granted.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for deviated nasal septum from a broken nose has been denied due to aggravation of a pre-existing condition.,The Veteran's appeals for secondary service connection for insomnia / sleep disorder and erectile dysfunction have been granted.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to reopening service connection for various injuries and disabilities, including head injury with motor skills and loss of range of motion, right hip injury, right knee injury, fractured right femur, and scars. The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disorder, including lung scarring and cancer, as due to exposure to asbestos and/or herbicide agents. The evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's lung cancer and his military service or any claimed exposures.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection and initial compensable rating for the conditions listed, resulting in their dismissal.