Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied as a matter of law due to his failure to report for VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. The claims of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left foot metatarsalgia and an initial compensable rating for left foot scars are being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining missing medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various shoulder, back, and foot disabilities have been denied. The Board found no current right elbow disability, and the right and left shoulder disabilities do not meet criteria for higher ratings under Diagnostic Code 5201. For the lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities, the evidence did not show ankylosis or incapacitating episodes as required for higher ratings. The abdominal scar has not been manifested by disabling effects.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for a right wrist condition has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for depressive disorder and left knee scar were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 50 percent for the depressive disorder prior to December 19, 2019 or a rating in excess of 70 percent since then. For the left knee scar, no compensable rating was assigned as the scars were not painful or unstable and did not affect an area greater than 39 square centimeters.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II was rated at 20 percent prior to January 12, 2017 and increased to 40 percent from January 12, 2017 to November 1, 2018.,From November 1, 2018 onwards, the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 40 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected ventral hernia and associated scar are currently rated at 10 percent.,The Board has remanded the issue of increased rating for the ventral hernia scar.

The Board has denied service connection for a right ankle disability and has remanded the issues of increased ratings for left knee scars, patellar dislocation, Achilles tendon repair, and surgical scar on the left knee.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as the evidence does not show marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hand scar and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding no current disability in either case.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected scars from the right knee meniscus surgery, and the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to July 2, 2014. The decision is pending further review.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities as they are not secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for her surgical scar associated with appendectomy and hysterectomy was denied, but she was granted TDIU based on multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected disabilities, which have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral arm disability, back disability, and disfiguring scar of the forehead as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in assessing the severity of the Veteran's headaches prior to March 30, 2015 and during flare-ups. The Veteran is still seeking an initial compensable rating for his cervicogenic headaches.