Scars Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for melanoma with scar and asthma, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for appendectomy scars were denied. The effective dates assigned are the date of receipt of the claims, December 7, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for further evidence. The right and left ankle disabilities are currently rated at 20% each, while the left knee scar remains at 0%. Further examination or evidence is required.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of a lumbar spine disability is denied as the earliest date entitlement arose was October 11, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral knee conditions and scars, do not render him unemployable prior to May 2, 2018. The evidence shows he was capable of performing sedentary employment but not heavy or strenuous physical labor.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient examination reports, particularly regarding the severity of the Veteran's left thigh and hip disabilities. The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his PTSD and right eye injury, which are rated at 30% each. The Board finds the evidence in equipoise as to whether these conditions prevent the Veteran from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left knee conditions and prostatitis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20% prior to May 2, 2017 and then upgraded to 30% from May 2, 2017 to July 7, 2019. The claim for a higher rating is denied after that date.

The Board dismissed all the appeals for service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left hip disability and a rating in excess of 10 percent for his post-operative left upper thigh scar. The Veteran was also denied entitlement to TDIU.,The evidence did not support higher ratings for either condition, with the exception that the Board found no ankylosis, which is required for a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5250.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to May 7, 2020, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's skin conditions have not been fully evaluated due to lack of recent medical examination and unretouched color photographs. The case is being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his service-connected scar, left thumb, is being remanded due to the need for further evaluation of the extent of nerve damage.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, and he is entitled to special monthly compensation based on regular aid and attendance due to his need for assistance with daily activities.

The Veteran's bilateral inguinal hernia and scars have been rated as noncompensable, with the internal scar receiving a separate rating of 10 percent. The Board denied higher ratings for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of coronary artery disease, prostate cancer residuals, and a surgical scar. The effective date was set at September 28, 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than July 27, 2012 for the grant of TDIU and DEA benefits. The Veteran was found to have met the criteria for eligibility for schedular consideration of TDIU since March 26, 2011, but his unemployability due to service-connected disabilities began in March 2011 if not sooner, which is more than one year prior to the filing of the TDIU application. As such, an earlier effective date for TDIU cannot be awarded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for scarring on forehead, left shoulder condition, right hip condition, and lower back condition due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.