Scars Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection of basal cell carcinoma scars was granted, and the effective date is set at August 23, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right knee scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under Diagnostic Code 7802. The VA examinations did not adequately address functional loss due to pain, resulting in insufficient evidence for a decision on the increased initial disability rating for degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's right knee scars are rated at a 20 percent effective September 28, 2021. The Board found that the evidence was in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's right knee scars were painful by date of his September 2021 supplemental claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial ratings for his service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU was denied as the evidence did not show that he was unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle scar secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left ankle sprain status post tendon repair. The increased rating claim is remanded due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as the July 2020 rating decision implicitly addressed the issue of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, but did not explicitly grant a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his death from COVID-19. The VA will obtain a new opinion on this issue.

The Board granted service connection for scarring, right orchiopexy and remanded the claim of asbestos exposure residuals. Other claims for service connection were denied.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the posterior trunk scar and a 20 percent rating for the anterior trunk scars, but denied compensable ratings under Diagnostic Code 7802. The Board also restored a 10 percent rating for the carcinoid tumor.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA, but denied increased ratings for various service-connected conditions.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and denied increased ratings for right shoulder impingement syndrome, hearing loss, painful scar, patellofemoral pain syndromes of the knees, and other conditions.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional evidence and ensure compliance with previous Board remand instructions.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and granted initial 40 percent ratings for left upper extremity CTS, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to untimely filing of the Board Appeal requests.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating for compensation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to January 19, 2022.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, with the exception of remanding certain issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for a scar on his right medial distal foot as a residual of bunionectomy, finding that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for painful right gluteal cleft scar, a compensable rating for allergic rhinitis, and service connection for left shoulder pain and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The appeals for increased disability ratings for the large abdominal hernia and surgical thoracic / abdominal scar have been abandoned and dismissed due to lack of response from the Veteran within a year after VA's request.