Scars Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate assessments in previous examinations and the need for additional VA medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the causes and aggravations of the Veteran's kidney stones, residuals of kidney stone surgery (including scarring), and temporary total evaluation for convalescence from kidney stone surgery. The claims are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her appendectomy scar was denied because the evidence did not show an increase in severity of the condition within one year prior to July 21, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities from July 19, 2011 to November 21, 2018 and after that date. The evidence did not substantiate a reasonable possibility of unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection has been granted for bilateral eustachian tube dysfunction, prostate cancer, sleep apnea, right hand keloid scar, gum disease, and athlete's foot.

The Veteran's scars, superficial and non-linear, associated with IVDS and herniated nucleus pulposus, L5-S1 have been granted a 10 percent rating from June 2, 2015 to May 30, 2018.,Service connection for female sexual dysfunction has been granted.,The Veteran's service-connected scars, neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and IVDS and herniated nucleus pulposus, L5-S1 are all remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left knee disorder are granted service connection, while the claims for scar on left forearm and bilateral hearing loss are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected painful residual surgical scar was restored to a 10 percent rating effective December 18, 2018 after the previous reduction from 10 percent to 0 percent was found improper.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for his right knee residual scar is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA needs to obtain updated treatment records and schedule the Veteran for an appropriate examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right knee disability, including his right knee residual scar.

The Board has granted readjudication for the claims related to residuals of pneumonia, scars on the legs, tinnitus, and anxiety and depression based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran. Service connection is now established for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hand scars are rated at a 10 percent rating, effective August 30, 2011. The Veteran's left hand injury is rated at a 10 percent rating since May 23, 2016.,Both conditions meet the criteria for the assigned ratings.

The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma, large abdominal scar, abdominal numbness, bone cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and lymphatic cancer are all found to be related to his service-connected renal cell carcinoma.

The Board has granted a TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate since September 30, 2015 due to service-connected anxiety disorder with depressive symptoms. The Veteran's other service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for separate ratings.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the appellant is not entitled to DIC under Section 1318.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for coronary artery disease has been granted, with the effective date set at September 16, 2015.,Service connection for skin cancer is granted based on herbicide exposure during active service.,Service connection for scars secondary to service-connected skin cancer is also granted.,Increased ratings for a cervical spine strain are remanded for further examination and rating determination.,The Veteran's current 20 percent rating for the period following May 7, 2018, remains unchanged.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 50% rating, CAD is granted a 10% rating for scars and denied higher ratings. Bilateral hearing loss service connection is denied.

The appeal for service connection of lineal scar, right side of nose (disfigurement), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), cardiovascular disorder, and bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for a lineal scar, right side of nose (painful scar) and bilateral plantar keratotic lesions prior to May 13, 2021, as well as for a right foot plantar callus since May 13, 2021, was also denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has ordered a remand to determine if a higher rating is warranted based on additional evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for small intestine bowel resection scar residuals has been dismissed due to the accredited representative withdrawing the appeal in October 2021.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left foot postoperative hallux valgus with traumatic arthritis was denied. The maximum rating of 10 percent is already in place.,Claims for painful scars of the left and right great toes were also denied, as they are rated under Diagnostic Code 7804.