Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, anxiety disorder, sleep apnea with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, scars, tinnitus, history of basal cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of service-connected disabilities prior to November 24, 2008. As such, the Veteran is granted an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss effective from October 31, 2002, and entitlement to a TDIU prior to that date.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected residual scar status post left varicocele ligation is being remanded due to additional evidence not yet reviewed by the RO.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for his service-connected painful scar, right knee was denied because the Notice of Disagreement (NOD) was not timely filed within one year after receiving the July 2017 rating decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a respiratory disorder, right hip disability, and scar of the right hip are granted. The claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional records and examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to December 14, 2016, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, a disability rating higher than 10 percent for tender keloid nodules on the chest, and a compensable disability rating for multiple scars, anterior chest. The evidence did not support granting these claims.

The Board has restored service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions and denied requests to sever separate evaluations.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for her residual scar due to malignant melanoma is granted, with an effective date of October 22, 2016. The Board found the scar painful and unstable, warranting a 20 percent rating under DC 7804.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for scars of the head and face prior to June 8, 2017, and a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter is remanded due to lack of color photographs associated with the claims file.

The Board has dismissed the appeal seeking service connection for a painful scar on the scrotum and has remanded the issue of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for colon cancer.

The Veteran's lumbar spine scar is granted a 10% rating, but not higher.,Service connection for migraine headaches has been reopened and the claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that further medical examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone meet the necessary criteria for eligibility for assistance in acquiring a certificate for SAH or an SHA grant. The examiner must consider whether the Veteran's ambulation impairment and need for a wheelchair are related to his service-connected spine and left ankle disabilities or due to a nonservice-connected CVA.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for various service-connected disabilities, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the original rating decisions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including hypertension and scars on the stomach and left side colostomy pouch. The Veteran's hypertension is granted as incurred in service. Other claims are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation for regular aid and attendance due to her service-connected disabilities, including posttraumatic stress disorder, bowel incontinence, degenerative arthritis of the spine with degenerative disc disease thoracic spine and lumbar disc disease status post fusion, right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), status post total right knee replacement, chondromalacia patella left knee with arthrotomy and osteoarthritis (limitation of extension), chondromalacia patella left knee with arthrotomy and osteoarthritis (instability), right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve), right knee scars, left knee scar, female sexual arousal disorder, surgical scar of the neck area, surgical scar of the anterior trunk, and surgical scars of the lumbar spine.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, gastritis, left and right knee disabilities, sinusitis with headaches, left foot scar, and adjustment disorder with anxiety are not supported by evidence of a current disability. The issues have been remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is service-connected, but his ureteral cancer and throat disorder are not found to be related to service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU rating is being remanded due to the need for updated evidence and an examination. The Board will consider whether his service-connected disabilities alone are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any right eye conditions are diseases or defects, and whether they were caused by service. The Veteran's history of trauma during service is also being considered.