Scars Board decisions

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any residuals of a TBI, an increased evaluation for the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, an increased rating for his Achilles tendon rupture, a compensable evaluation for his scar, and service connection for PTSD. The Veteran is also seeking earlier effective dates for some of these claims.

All claims for service connection prior to July 27, 2010 have been dismissed due to the absence of allegations of specific errors in fact or law.,The claim for a higher initial rating for patellofemoral syndrome left knee with arthritis and limited flexion has also been dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 1, 2011. The Board found that entitlement to TDIU is warranted for this period but remanded the issue of prior to July 1, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination to determine if the Veteran's left ankle disability is related to service. The claim for increased rating of the left forearm scar remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment, and the Board has referred this case for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board has remanded multiple issues for further development, including evaluations and service connection claims. The Vitamin D deficiency claim is denied as it does not constitute a disability for VA purposes.

The Board denied service connection for gallbladder removal, inguinal hernias, and headaches. Service connection was not granted for COPD due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for a left hip scar was reopened, but the Board found no causal relationship between the current condition and service, thus denying service connection.

The appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is granted with a rating of 30 percent, but no higher for scars status post injury to left axilla and left biceps.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and initial compensable ratings for various scars have been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has also been dismissed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's motion to vacate the August 20, 2019 decision regarding his initial compensable disability rating for a scar on the abdomen and an initial disability rating higher than 50 percent for PTSD. The issues are now considered as if they were never decided.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's residuals of right knee replacement, status post osteoarthritis, as secondary to his service-connected right great toe fracture. The issues regarding left knee replacement and painful scars are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, bladder disorder, erectile dysfunction, and scars due to potential service connection based on radiation exposure. Additional development is needed including obtaining a dose estimate of ionizing radiation exposure during service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability for any of the conditions claimed, and thus service connection cannot be granted.,There are no diagnoses or findings related to these conditions in the Veteran's service records, and post-service medical records do not show any such disabilities until decades after his discharge from active duty.

The Board has denied the claim of service connection for hypertension secondary to diabetes mellitus, finding that there is no medical evidence linking the disability to service.,The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for neurological impairment of the bilateral upper extremities and scars/tightness secondary to such impairment due to conflicting opinions on whether the Veteran's diabetes caused or aggravated these conditions.

The Veteran's left arm scar and traumatic brain injury have been rated as noncompensable, and the Board is remanding these issues for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for left abdominal and flank surgical scars, as well as insomnia disorder have been remanded due to the need for additional development. The Board found that his internal scar tissue was causing pain but not instability, warranting a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7804. For the abdominal muscle impairment, he is entitled to a separate 10 percent rating based on moderate injury of Muscle Group XIX. His insomnia disorder warrants an initial 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee injury, osteoarthritis, and scars have been denied. The current ratings are consistent with the severity of his conditions as documented in medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment during the period from June 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012. The Board denied entitlement to TDIU for this period.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of October 31, 2007 for the grant of a TDIU. The issues regarding an increased rating for a right great toe fracture and an earlier effective date remain pending and must be remanded.