Scars Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for hypercholesterolemia.,Service connection for fibromyalgia is denied as there is insufficient evidence of a current diagnosis and no link to service or an undiagnosed illness.,There is no current left index finger scar, and the Veteran's complaints are not supported by medical evidence.,The Veteran's left hip disability is less likely related to service. The examiner found it was due to peripheral vascular disease (PVD) of the left iliac artery.,A temporary total evaluation for convalescence from surgery for a service-connected disability is denied as there is no service-connected disability upon which to base this claim.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus secondary to heart disease is remanded for additional examination and opinion.,Service connection for CFS secondary to obstructive sleep apnea is remanded for additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right wrist disorder was dismissed due to his withdrawal.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied as it is not earlier than June 18, 2018.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a left wrist condition, denied an initial compensable rating for a left wrist scar, and denied a higher rating in excess of 20 percent for left wrist radial nerve damage.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the appellant's claims for service connection, particularly regarding her exposure to herbicides and other environmental hazards during active duty for training. The case will be remanded to obtain VA medical opinions addressing these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him sufficiently helpless as to need regular aid and attendance, but do not require him to remain in bed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and left knee scars do not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under applicable VA regulations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him bedridden or in need of regular aid and attendance, thus his claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hammertoe deformities and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 15, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude his employability prior to January 1, 2012.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left lower extremity affecting the sciatic nerve is granted with a rating of 20 percent effective January 4, 2020. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity affecting the sciatic nerve is also granted with a rating of 20 percent effective January 4, 2020.

The Veteran's appeals for effective dates and service connection have been dismissed. The claim for left ear hearing loss has been reopened, but the rating remains remanded due to new evidence.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records and completion of a VA Form 21-8940.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to initial and increased evaluations for service-connected painful right wrist scars, right wrist scar with associated tissue damage, and right wrist scar with no associated tissue damage due to additional development needs.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates and granted a 10 percent rating for lower back scar. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is remanded for further evaluation, including consideration of radiculopathy symptoms.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, but his claim for scars remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for service-connected scars, residuals of pseudofolliculitis barbae, and for bilateral great toe onychomycosis due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for the C-section scar and nerve damage associated with it. The issue of service connection for a low back disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected basal cell carcinoma with hypertrophic scars, as only some parts of his body were examined in the previous VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to January 3, 2017, finding that her service-connected conditions did not render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.