Scars Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete verification of the Appellant's National Guard service and missing medical records. The case will be re-adjudicated after obtaining all necessary information.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for left rotator cuff tear with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis with residual scars status post surgery from July 7, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for conjunctivitis was denied as there is no evidence of current chronic conjunctivitis.,Service connection for a right knee disability was remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records and audiogram results.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to the Veteran's unavailability for VA examinations. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of respiratory disability, hypertension, heart disease, and residual surgical scars.

The Board has remanded the claims for postgastrectomy syndromes, prostate cancer residuals, and surgical scar due to worsening symptoms reported by the Veteran. Updated VA examinations are needed to determine current disability severity.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral pinguecula with left eye corneal scarring, finding no visual impairment attributable to these conditions and noting the Veteran has had no incapacitating episodes.

The Veteran's service-connected scars related to her right hip surgeries are being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of these scars and their impact on her function.

The Board has restored service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and denied a compensable rating for Right Shoulder Scars.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues currently before the Board, including those related to increased ratings and TDIU.

The Veteran's left and right chin scars were denied a compensable evaluation as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background, thus denying entitlement to a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's disabilities, both service-connected and nonservice-connected, made him need regular aid and attendance or housebound.

The Veteran's varicose veins affecting the bilateral lower extremities are granted service connection as they are at least as likely as not related to his period of active service.,Service connection for Legionnaire’s disease is denied due to lack of credible evidence linking it to an in-service injury or disease.,Left inguinal hernia service connection is denied because there is no credible evidence that the condition occurred during a period of service, and the Veteran's lay reports are unreliable given his mental health issues.,Service connection for a residual scar of a right buttocks wound is granted as it was incurred during a period of active duty for special work (ADSW).,Service connection for psychosis for the purpose of establishing eligibility for medical treatment under 38 U.S.C. § 1702 is granted due to an active psychosis within two years of separation from service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, effective prior to September 12, 2013, for a left eye disability, and for right ankle and prostate cancer. The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his left eye chorioretinal scars is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for various conditions has been remanded due to the need for additional evaluations and examinations. The denial of a higher rating for coronary artery disease from December 1, 2011 to October 12, 2015 remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, scar of the right knee, and bilateral tinnitus due to discrepancies in the record.,Service connection was denied for a scar of the right knee as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in permanent loss of use of his left foot, and therefore grants eligibility for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile with adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the identification of outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's right knee scar and right knee disability are remanded for additional examinations to determine their current severity.,The Veteran's right knee disability is remanded due to an inadequate August 2016 examination report. A new examination is needed to assess the extent of functional impairment during flare-ups.,The left knee disability, depression, and sleep disorder are all remanded for etiology opinions regarding their relationship to service or service-connected disabilities.,Service connection for a psychiatric disorder (depression) and diabetes mellitus are also remanded. The examiner must determine whether the Veteran's current conditions are related to his service in Southwest Asia, as well as any aggravation of these conditions by his service-connected disabilities.,A sleep disorder is remanded for an examination to determine its relationship to service, specifically service in Southwest Asia.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus is also remanded. The examiner must consider the Veteran's pre-diabetes diagnosis during National Guard service and whether a sleep disorder caused or aggravated his current diabetes.