Scars Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disorder, cervical radiculopathy, right shoulder disorder, right upper extremity scars (armpit scars), back disorder, and right leg sciatica, as they were not related to the Veteran's period of honorable service from September 6, 2005 to November 25, 2008.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal because he withdrew his claim for service connection for a left eye disability other than his already service-connected left corneal scar and traumatic iridodialysis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities make him unemployable, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate examination reports and potential impact on SMC claim.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for a scar from pacemaker surgery was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for ischemic heart disease (including myocardial infarction) was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for the scar from pacemaker surgery was denied.,The Veteran's claim for total disability due to individual unemployability based on service-connected disabilities was granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations of her service-connected conditions, as well as a determination regarding her bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions include adenoma in the duodenum, removal of gall bladder (Whipple procedure), intestinal condition secondary to Whipple procedure, diverticulitis, peritoneal scarring, periumbilical incisional hernia, epigastric hernia, and diabetes mellitus. These conditions are all related to his service-connected adenoma in the duodenum. The Veteran's right knee disabilities have been granted a 20% rating for moderate lateral instability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence being added to the record and the need for updated VA examinations.

The Board dismissed all claims for increased ratings and denied service connection for dental trauma. The Veteran's major depressive disorder was granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, leading to a TDIU determination.

The Veteran's service-connected mental disabilities and physical conditions make her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. However, the claim is remanded as more information is needed regarding her employment status.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if there is a right knee disability related to service, and to assess the severity of the Veteran's painful scars on his wrist.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's VA treatment records and his VR&E files, as these documents are relevant to the issues on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for a left arm scar was denied as the evidence did not show any disabling effects not considered in a rating provided under Diagnostic Codes 7800-04.,Service connection for a left arm musculoskeletal disability, left arm neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were all denied. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are not related to service or herbicide agent exposure.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left arm scar was denied as the evidence did not show any disabling effects not considered in a rating provided under Diagnostic Codes 7800-04.,Service connection for left arm neuropathy and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were both denied. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are not related to service or herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was denied as the evidence did not show any disabling effects not considered in a rating provided under Diagnostic Codes 7800-04.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to a lack of evidence showing that he filed a claim prior to April 8, 2010.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for a sleep disorder, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, and an effective date earlier than September 18, 2017, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on his combined disability rating of 90 percent.

The Veteran's application for Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) education benefits was denied because her initial application was received after the 15-year delimiting date, and she did not meet the eligibility criteria due to a combination of her own disabilities and family obligations.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected residual scars has been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, intermittent numbness of the left hand and fingers, and intermittent numbness of the left knee and lower leg have been remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected PTSD has been remanded to obtain a new VA examination.,The Veteran's claims for evaluations in excess of 40 percent for his service-connected back conditions, resection of the large intestine, and removal of left kidney have been remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU has been remanded due to the interrelated nature with other increased rating claims.

The Board has granted an initial 10 percent rating for the Veteran's right ankle scar. The remaining issues of entitlement to increased ratings for limited motion of the right ankle and right foot tarsal tunnel syndrome, as well as TDIU, are REMANDED.

The Veteran's service connection for facial scar residuals, TBI, and painful left cheek scar was granted with effective dates of August 19, 2010, and November 7, 2016 respectively. The Veteran is not entitled to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for facial scar residuals.