Scars Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues on appeal, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are at issue.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds due to his mental health issues and history of hospitalizations.

The Board has granted a rating of 10 percent for the Veteran's scar below the left eye, finding that it is painful and not unstable. The current rating reflects this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine whether the Veteran's right eye corneal transplant, with resulting glaucoma, optic atrophy, and pseudophakia, is related to his in-service flash burn and shrapnel injury. The referral to the Director of Compensation Service for an extraschedular rating under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b) has also been requested.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for residuals of a shell fragment wound in the left chest, service connection for hernia, and service connection for hemorrhoids are all remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board will provide new examinations and opinions regarding these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are remanded due to the passage of time since his last VA examinations and the submission of new private medical records indicating worsening of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar paravertebral myositis, degenerative osteoarthritis of the left knee, and other musculoskeletal conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU based on these disabilities.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for cold injury residuals of the right and left feet, as well as his scars on both hands, were denied. However, he was granted an initial evaluation of 20% for each scar of the right and left feet secondary to service-connected cold injury residuals.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records from incarceration facilities and scheduling specialized examinations.

The Board has remanded the claim for additional compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to VA care resulting in additional disabilities of a right forearm skin graft, abdominal scarring, and additional hernia disabilities. The case is being returned for further development including scheduling an appropriate VA examination.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus/bilateral plantar fasciitis, fracture left calcaneus status post repair with hardware and scar, left sural neuropathy, and chondromalacia patella, left knee have been remanded for further evaluation due to the possibility of increased symptoms since his last VA examinations.

The Board denied payment or reimbursement for unauthorized non-VA medical expenses incurred at Carolinas HealthCare System University Emergency Room on September 2, 2016 due to the absence of an emergency condition and feasible availability of VA facilities.

The Veteran's GSW residuals are granted a 40 percent rating, and a separate 10 percent rating is granted for the associated scars. The Board found that his disability picture more nearly approximated moderately severe muscle disability.

The Board has vacated the September 2019 decision due to a withdrawal of the appeal by the Veteran's attorney. The appeal is now dismissed.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for lumbar spine disability and obstructive sleep apnea was granted. However, the claims of service connection for lung scarring, including pulmonary fibrosis and bronchiectasis, were denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions. The issues include service connection for a low back disability, bilateral knee disabilities, radiculopathy, onychomycosis of the toenails, and a skin disorder (claimed as peeling skin on fingers).

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's burn scar of the right upper extremity, finding that the evidence did not support an increase beyond the current 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea with COPD and irritable bowel syndrome, have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has identified several issues for remand, including service connection claims and increased rating claims. The Veteran's prostate disability is of particular interest as it may affect the outcome of other claims.