Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and painful scars of the left arm. His TDIU claim is granted effective July 1, 2021.

The Veteran's asthma, bilateral chronic dry eye, and corneal scar of the left eye are being remanded for further evaluation due to new evidence.

The Veteran's GERD has been rated at 10% since March 2012. The Board granted a 30% rating for GERD effective from the date of the claim, November 2010, based on evidence showing considerable impairment due to persistent symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal was granted for a disability rating of 60 percent, but no higher, for total right knee arthroplasty residuals from October 1, 2011. The other issues were either denied or remanded.

The appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the cause of death and service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tonsil cancer, but has remanded the issues of service connection for scleroderma, neck cancer, neck scar with residual numbness, loss of sense of taste, and removal of lymph nodes due to lack of definitive opinions on their relationship to the Veteran's service-connected tonsil cancer.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address her claims for lower extremity radiculopathies and a higher rating for lumbar spine fusion.,The Board also finds that the issues of TDIU and Dependents' Educational Assistance are inextricably intertwined with the above-mentioned claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left thumb reconstruction and scar contractures has been reopened, and the claims are both granted.

The Veteran's left cubital tunnel syndrome is granted as service connected. The extension of the temporary total disability rating for left knee degenerative joint disease under 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 until January 31, 2007, is also granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of remand. The Board also granted a TDIU from February 1, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, should be remanded due to insufficient opinions regarding whether his weight gain and obesity are caused or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to the need for an examination.,The Veteran's claims for additional disabling effects of scarring to include impairment of the ability to eat and speak are being remanded as VA undertakes the effort to provide the Veteran with a VA examination, which must be adequate in order to fully form its evaluation of the claim.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a dental disorder for both VA compensation purposes and treatment purposes are being remanded due to the need for an examination.,The Veteran's initial disability rating of 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 7804 for scarring of the upper lip is being remanded, as well as his initial noncompensable disability rating under Diagnostic Code 7800 for scarring of the upper lip.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to her service-connected disabilities and new claims for various conditions. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary due to the Veteran's failure to appear at scheduled VA examinations, as well as the need to obtain authorization for medical records from civilian facilities and personnel records regarding her deployments.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during active service and granted service connection for this condition. The remaining issues have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's current anxiety disorder is proximately due to, or the result of, his adjudicated service-connected disabilities. Service connection for an anxiety disorder as secondary to his service-connected disabilities has been granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to the need for a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right hand thumb and finger disabilities.

The Veteran's initial rating for a residual scar of the right shoulder was granted at 10 percent, effective October 20, 2021. The Veteran's right (dominant) shoulder impingement status post Mumford repair has been rated as 40 percent disabling since October 30, 2005, to February 12, 2015; and from October 20, 2021, the rating was increased to 70 percent for generalized anxiety and panic disorder. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to a TDIU is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his postoperative residuals of a left inguinal hernia and consequent scarring due to incomplete VA examination reports. The additional development needed includes obtaining a supplemental VA medical opinion addressing neurological manifestations, functional impairment, and missed work due to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include right and left knee disabilities, bilateral hip disability, left leg scars, and an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, lumbosacral strain, TBI, headaches, right ring finger fracture, scar of the proximal right lateral calf, and proximal right anterior thigh scars were denied. The VA determined that the current evidence did not support higher disability evaluations based on the severity of the service-connected conditions.