Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, diagnosed as depressive disorder, is granted due to its increase in severity being proximately due to his service-connected disabilities. His tinnitus and basal cell carcinoma are not related to service or any incident therein. The voiding dysfunction, DM2 with hypertension and erectile dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities and lower extremities, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have been found to aggravate his depressive disorder.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right ankle calcaneal spur with degenerative arthritis and associated scar require further evaluation due to potential worsening of symptoms since his last VA examination in May 2017. The case is being sent back for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot proceed with the merits of the case as he passed away during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's right ankle disorder, scar from surgery, cervical spine degenerative spondylosis, headaches, and bilateral shoulder disorders are all granted service connection.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the right ankle disorder and scar is remanded.

The Veteran is found eligible for a TDIU beginning October 1, 2009. The Board also remanded the cases for further examination and consideration of SMC based on need for aid and attendance or loss of use.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral foot disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability was granted a 40 percent rating prior to September 30, 2019. From that date, the claim for an increased rating greater than 40 percent is denied. The right and left lower extremity radiculopathy claims are both granted at their current ratings.

The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea and an initial compensable rating for hypertension have been dismissed. The claim for a higher rating for residuals of a gunshot wound, muscle group XIII with scar is remanded.

The Veteran's right shoulder degenerative arthritis is granted as service-connected.,There is no evidence to support the claim for left knee strain, and it is denied.,Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss.,Tinnitus is also granted as a service-connected condition.,Residual scars from the right shoulder are secondary to degenerative arthritis and are granted.

The Veteran's initial rating for dermatitis with scarring is being remanded due to an indication that his condition may have increased in severity.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial compensable rating for right leg hamstring disability, surgical scar, right leg, and low back disability. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's scar of the right lower lip, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a characteristic of disfigurement.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied because his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's request to restore a 20 percent rating for his right foot scars is granted. The issue of service connection for PTSD is remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for acne keloidalis with head scar and bumps was granted, but the specific issue of service connection for growth bumps is not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for right knee scars is denied as the earliest possible effective date provided by law is May 23, 2016.

The Veteran's service connection for chronic kidney disease, resection of small intestine due to radiation enteritis, and related conditions is granted based on exposure to Agent Orange during active duty.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings for right shoulder and arm conditions, thumb, ring, and little finger conditions, and right shoulder scars. The issue of service connection for a right knee disorder secondary to lumbar spine disability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period prior to April 24, 2014 was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU and his service-connected conditions alone or in combination did not preclude him from securing or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted. The Veteran now has a 60 percent evaluation for psoriasis, previously diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitis, effective from the date of decision.