Scars Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed for the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his left ankle disability, neck scar, and abdominal and upper left thigh scars. The Veteran will be provided with a new VA examination to assess the current severity of these disabilities.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluation for scars, bilateral great toes, status post bilateral nail excision is denied.,The Veteran's initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bell’s palsy with right facial paralysis, right eye ptosis and loss of right nasolabial fold is denied.,The Veteran's initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis, right shoulder is remanded.,The Veteran's initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right shoulder, left foot bunion, and left foot great toe fracture are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations to assess his disability levels accurately.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his Substantive Appeal with respect to the issue of increased disability rating for residual facial scars.

The Veteran's acne icepick and keloid scarring is rated at 50 percent for the entire period on appeal, effective September 22, 2005.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and procedural issues, including obtaining updated VA psychiatric examination records.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to incomplete information about his self-employment and the need for updated VA treatment records. Additionally, a VA examination is required to assess the functional impairment caused by his service-connected right knee degenerative joint disease, thoracolumbar spine degenerative joint disease with compression fracture, left knee strain, tinnitus, residuals of surgical scar, right lower abdomen, and residuals of surgical scar, right perineum.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his left axilla and left clavicle scar, finding that there was no evidence of symptoms warranting a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for painful scar, status post cyst removal from the head has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for scars of the knees prior to July 24, 2017 was denied. The claim for an increased rating for scars of the knees since July 24, 2017 was also denied.,The Board found that there is no basis upon which to award an earlier effective date than February 28, 2014, for the grant of service connection for bilateral knee surgical scars. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea was remanded due to its inextricability with another issue.

The Board has granted an initial 10 percent rating for the Veteran's right inguinal hernia and a separate 10 percent rating for his related surgical scar, effective since December 28, 2015. The ratings are based on recurrent symptoms of pain and functional impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has denied service connection for right shoulder, back, and abdominal disabilities. The left jaw scar and acne issues are remanded.

The Board dismissed the appeal for a compensable initial disability rating for back scars and granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of low back pain, back scars, and PTSD with sleep disorder. Specifically, VA must provide appropriate VCAA notice letters, obtain relevant records from service departments, and ensure all necessary development actions are completed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including symptomatic scar, tinnitus, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of medical expenses received from Randolph County Emergency Squad was denied because the claim was not submitted within the required 90-day period after the emergency treatment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied due to failure to attend a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating exceeding 60 percent for prostate cancer and residuals thereof is denied as the predominant residuals do not meet the criteria for such a higher rating.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for erectile dysfunction is denied as he does not suffer from a penile deformity.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating exceeding 30 percent for disfigurement of the left side of his nose is remanded due to insufficient evidence showing two or more characteristics of disfigurement.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been denied as there is no competent evidence linking the condition to his active duty service.,Service connection was also denied for a compensable rating for scar, rectum status post-surgery. The medical evidence did not support a finding that the scar aggravated or caused the Veteran's sleep apnea.