Scars Board decisions

The Veteran was granted TDIU prior to November 1, 2019 on an extraschedular basis due to his service-connected disabilities making it impossible for him to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on several service-connected conditions has been withdrawn. The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for memory impairment, finding it secondary to his service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder and major depressive disorder. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder on the face, an initial rating for plantar warts of bilateral feet, and a rating for bunionette, postoperative with scar, right 5th toe are all denied. The Veteran had four painful plantar warts during the appeal period which warranted a 20% initial rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD, lumbar spine disability, left sciatic nerve disability, and back scar.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right foot status post (s/p) plantar fascia fibroma and right foot painful scar due to insufficient opinions regarding whether her pre-existing conditions were aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted a separate rating of 10 percent for painful scars from February 15, 2019 to May 25, 2022.

The Board has dismissed the claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for the left ankle scar, left wrist scar, left ankle disability, and left knee disability. The cases are being remanded for further evaluation of the Veteran's left knee, left wrist, and left ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected gunshot wound residual anterior trunk scar is rated as noncompensable, and his muscle group XXI and III impairments are both rated at 10 percent.,Both the Veteran's muscle group XXI and III injuries have been rated at 10 percent since September 22, 2000.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (asthma, bilateral hearing loss, chronic lumbosacral strain, degenerative osteoarthritic and disc narrowing, and status post excision of leukoplakia of the lower lip with one painful residual scar) rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to December 1, 2015. The Veteran also had basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 prior to December 1, 2015.

The Veteran's left shoulder dislocation is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.,For his right shoulder bankart report (minor), an adequate VA examination is needed to assess the current level of disability.

The Veteran is currently employed in a suitable, stable government position and has overcome any impairment of employment to which his service-connected disabilities have substantially contributed. Therefore, he does not meet the requirements for VR&E benefits to obtain a Master's degree in Interior Design or Construction Management.

The Board has decided to remand the case for an independent medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran experienced any additional disability as a result of treatment he received from VA, and if so, whether it was caused by carelessness or negligence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable throughout the entire appeal period, as he has been working part-time or full-time during this time.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for sinus infections, sleep apnea, and initial compensable disability ratings for service-connected left and right hand and arm burns scars as the Veteran withdrew his appeals through his authorized representative.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and need for an adequate examination. The Veteran's service-connected recurrent pneumonia with lung scarring is claimed as a basis for TDIU, but his other respiratory conditions are also considered.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of April 17, 2012 for the award of a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of traumatic brain injury, right hand 5th distal phalanx fracture (claimed as broken pinky), bleeding ulcers, scars (nose, left hand, and left knee), asthma, and deviated septum are all being remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of traumatic brain injury, right hand 5th distal phalanx fracture (claimed as broken pinky), bleeding ulcers, scars (nose, left hand, and left knee), asthma, and deviated septum are all being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, with the exception of periods prior to April 11, 2019 where he did not meet schedular criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU from December 16, 2016 due to her service-connected disabilities making it impossible for her to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.